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FOUR ROADS 
TO HAPPINESS 


A Story of Hoosier Life 


MARY McCRAE CULTER 


[The UNION PRESS 

Philadelphia. 


*1122 CHESTNUT STREET* 


20678 


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Library of C<^peas! 

I Two Copies Received ' 
JUL Id 1900 

Copyright entry 

// /foo 

SErf“in COPY. 

Dt: ive^ed fe 

ORDER DIVISION, 

JilL-LSJaQoJ 


65311 

[Copyright, 1900, by The American Sunday-School Union.] 



4 # 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 




PAGE 

I. 

A Thorn in the Flesh 



. 7 

II. 

The Good in Evil Things . 



. 17 

III. 

A Glimpse into the World . 



. 27 

IV. 

The Way of the World 



, 36 

V. 

A Wonderful World . 



. 46 

VI. 

Summer Tasks . 



. 56 

VII. 

Winter Employments . 



, 66 

VIII. 

Wealth has Wings 



. 76 

IX. 

The First Journey 



. 86 

X. 

The Wisdom from Above 



, 96 

XL 

In “ Deestrict No. 12 ” 



. 107 

XII. 

Aspirations 



. 116 

XIII. 

The Shadov^^ of Death 



. 126 

XIV. 

A Glimpse Upward 



. 137 

XV. 

Her New Ambition 



. 147 

XVI. 

Susie’s Desires . 



. 158 

XVII. 

Two Hundred Miles Apart 



. 168 

XVIII. 

A Bit of Student Life 



. 178 

XIX. 

Improved Opportunities 



. 188 

XX. 

The Curriculum of Suffering 



. 193 

XXI. 

What is Happiness ? . 



. 208 

XXII. 

Backwoods Pleasures , 



. 219 

XXIII. 

A Service of Love 



. 229 

Xxiv. 

An Unforeseen Trouble 



. 239 

XXV. 

An Accepted Cross 



. 251 

XXVI. 

A Rash Step 



. 261 

XXVII. 

Two Conclusions 



. 272 

XXVIII. 

Home Again 



. 282 

XXIX. 

At Maplewood , 



. 292 

XXX. 

The End of tlie Roads 

3 



. 303 







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Life. 

“This one thing will I do — most gratefully, 

I will accept the life God gives to me, 

And wear it proudly, wear it patiently. 

“ Moulded and fashioned by his mighty hand. 

He gives to me the life that he has planned, 
And bids me take and see and understand. 

“Among the millions of eternity. 

Plain as thou art, there is no one like thee. 

O life, I bow before thee reverently. 

“ High privilege — a gift so rare to take. 

So I accept it, and for thy great sake 
Of this, the life thou givest, the best will make.’^ 


5 




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Four Roads to Happiness. 


CHAPTER I. 

A THORN IN THE FLESH. 

School was out at the Yankee Jim school- 
house, and the pupils were scattering along 
the wooded paths that led to their respective 
homes. There were many merry words and 
much laughter and play. There were games 
of tag, and races by the fleet-footed. Some of 
the younger ones stopped at a thicket of sas- 
safras to gather handfuls of the twigs to 
chew. One or two of the girls had skipping- 
ropes made from slender green-briar vines, and 
were skipping along the road. A group of the 
smaller boys stopped for a final game of mar- 
bles. Altogether, the progress of the young 
students was slow. 

As they went on, their numbers gradually 
diminished. The Barker children turned off 
at “ the forks ” ; the Rogers went down their 

7 


8 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


home lane ; the Simmonses disappeared down 
a narrow wood-path, and the four Carter chil- 
dren proceeded on their way alone. 

Will Carter was the oldest of the four. He 
was a sturdy looking boy about sixteen years 
of age, dressed in a homemade suit of bright 
blue jeans, and a cap manufactured in some 
mysterious fashion from a ’coon skin. His 
trousers were tucked into his boots, his cap 
was perched on the back of his head, his 
hands were thrust into his pockets, and he 
whistled loudly as he walked along. 

His sister Jane walked beside him, and was 
quite as rustic in appearance as he, in her home- 
woven linsey dress of red and blue plaid, her 
dark calico apron and heavy shoes. She had 
hair which in polite society would have been 
called auburn, but which in the backwoods 
was bluntly termed red. Her eyes were dark, 
and her face was thickly freckled. She car- 
ried several books under her left arm, and 
swung her sunbonnet by the strings as she 
walked along. 

Kate and Sue, the two younger sisters, 
amused themselves with their skipping-rope, 
and were soon far ahead of Will and Jane. 

The road along which they passed would 
have been considered lonely by city children. 
The schoolhouse they had left was situated in 


A THORN IN THE FLESH, 


9 


the edge of heavy timber. From there the 
road led down past the old church and the 
dreary briar-grown graveyard, and on past the 
parsonage, which bore the distinction of being 
the only frame dwelling-house in the neighbor- 
hood, and up a little hill into the dense woods 
again. Great oak, beech, hickory and ash 
trees interlaced their branches above the road. 
A thicket of saplings and hazel bushes, over- 
hung with a net of wild-grape and green- 
briar vines, extended close to the wheel tracks 
in places. Flere and there lay the decaying 
trunk of some huge monarch of the forest 
which had been overthrown by a long-for- 
gotten tornado. Stumps of all sizes and de- 
scriptions were to be seen everywhere. 

It was curious to note how the road wound 
itself between them, turning this way and 
that, crossing their exposed roots, even pass- 
ing over some of the smaller ones. It required 
a good driver to take a wagon safely over such 
a road and avoid all these obstacles. The rate 
of travel was necessarily slow, and a “ three- 
minute horse” would have had no chance 
whatever to show off his paces. Driving at 
night was out of the question, unless there 
was clear moonlight ; so walking was the 
customary mode of travel. 

The Carter children thought nothing of 


10 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


their two-mile trip to and from school, so 
accustomed were they to walking long dis- 
tances. It is almost needless to add that they 
did not appreciate the wild beauty of the 
scenery through which they passed. The 
younger ones were too busy with their play. 
Will saw only cord-wood, rails and shingles in 
the great oak, beech and poplar trees, or the 
possibilities for good hoop poles in the hickory 
saplings by the way. 

Jane felt a vague stirring of joy as she 
looked up at the blue spring sky that showed 
in tiny patches through the brown lacework 
of limbs and twigs above her, or noted the 
pleasing effect of the white and grey lichens 
against their background of brown log and 
green moss. She possessed considerable poetic 
and artistic talent, only it was buried beneath 
a weight of ignorance that prevented its de- 
velopment. There was little chance that she 
ever would see beyond the confines of her 
narrow home district, or know the possibilities 
that lay dormant within her brain. She was 
a bright, energetic girl, quick to learn and 
ambitious to lead her classes in school. She 
delighted in the speed with which she could 
travel over several miles, and knew no fear 
even though night fell heavily about her, and 
the road grew indistinct beneath her feet, and 


A THORN IN THE FLESH. 


11 


screech-owls sent their melancholy cries from 
the blackness of the forest above her. At 
home she took pride in her ability to do all 
manner of work, and in the “ spryness ’’ with 
which all her tasks were accomplished. She 
was fifteen years of age, but was tall for her 
j^ears and was often taken to be older than her 
brother. 

A new thought had taken possession of her, 
on this afternoon, and she was considering 
it diligently as she walked along. Presently 
she said, 

“ Will, stop your whistling ; I want to talk 
to you.” 

‘‘ Talk away,” returned Will, cheerfully. “ I 
can listen and whistle too.” 

“ But I can’t talk while you whistle, because 
I’m not sure that you’re listening.” 

“Very well, then; go ahead; I’m all ears.” 

“Well,” Jane said, slowly. “I’ve made up 
my mind that I’m going to be a school- 
teacher.” 

“ Oh, shucks ! ” interrupted her listener, un- 
sympathetically. “ I thought you was going 
to tell me what Lize Free said about havin’ 
their carpet-rag sewin’.” 

“She said they w^as goin’ to have it next 
Friday night, and they’re a-goin’ to pull taffy 
after the rags are all sewed. An’ she gave us 


12 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


a bid. So there ! ’’ Jane returned ungraciously. 
She had been so sure of Will’s interest in her 
new scheme that his preference to rag- 
sewin’s ” was vexing. Her brother noted her 
vexation, and, as his anxiety in regard to the 
bid ” to the rag-sewing was relieved, he good- 
humoredly returned to Jane’s subject. 

“ What makes you want to teach school ? I 
don’t think I’d like it. I’m always glad when 
plowin’ time comes and I can quit.” 

‘^But then school-teachers make lots of 
money. Mr. James gets forty dollars a 
month, and he says ever so many of them 
get more. I could make more money in six 
months than you and pap do off the farm and 
in the cooper-shop in a year. And then we 
could have lots of things.” 

What would we have now ? Let’s see. 
You might buy me a new jack-knife. I broke 
the best blade of mine to-day,” began Will, 
teasingly : whereupon Jane slapped him vig- 
orously with her sunbonnet until he cried for 
mercy. 

I was only fooling,” Will said, after their 
good-humored scuffle was over. ‘‘I think it 
would be just fine if you could teach school. 
You’re plenty smart enough, only you’ll have 
to study a heap before you can git a certifi- 
cate.” 


A THORN IN THE FLESH, 


13 


Yes, I know,” returned Jane eagerly. “ I 
talked to Mr. Janies about it all noon-time. 
He says I knoAY enough arithmetic and history 
and geography to pass now ; but I’ll have to 
study physiology, and get a good deal further 
in my grammar. I can read and spell pretty 
well, and my handwriting is tolerably fair. 
You see, it won’t be a very hard task, and 
besides I’m not old enough yet. I’ll have a 
year to study, anyhow, and I’m just going at 
it in earnest.” Jane’s cheeks were flushed, 
and her eyes sparkled with ambition. “ Mr. 
James is going to bring me his physiology to- 
morrow, and I’m going to begin right away. 
I’ll recite at noons while the rest of you are 
out at play.” Will looked at her admiringly. 

^^I believe you are in earnest,” he said. 

‘‘ Indeed I am,” Jane replied. “ I’m tired of 
being so poor and working so hard for so little. 
If there’s a pile of money to be had just by 
doing some extra studying, why, I’m going to 
study.” They walked a little way in silence, 
then Will said, hesitatingly : 

‘‘There’s one trouble about your teaching 
school, and that is, you get mad too easy.” 

“ I don’t get mad any quicker’n you do,” 
flashed Jane, and her brother laughed heartily. 

“ There it is. Don’t you see, Janie ? It 
wouldn’t do for a school-teacher to be so 


14 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


touchy as that. Scholars are always doin’ 
mean things, an’ sayin’ hateful things, an’ the 
old folks are always a findin’ fault with the 
teacher, an’ between ’em, you’d be in hot 
water all the time.” This cool speech made 
Jane very angry. She was exceedingly touchy 
on the subject of her high temper. She was 
well aware of the fact that she was entirely 
too hasty, and often wished secretly that she 
were better-natured ; but she always excused it 
by saying: 

“ It’s all on account of this horrid red hair. 
I can’t help myself. It’s in me, and it’s no use 
to try to get it out, because I can’t.” 

So now, in reply to Will’s criticism, she 
said : 

Well, I can’t help it. It’s no use for red- 
headed people to try to be good-natured, be- 
cause they can’t.” 

Temper’s a good deal like the briars in our 
‘little field.’ The roots are there, and they 
keep a springin’ up. If we didn’t keep hoein’ 
’em down, they’d soon cover the whole patch 
an’ we couldn’t raise nothin’ on it. It seems 
to me that’s the way you need to do with your 
temper, jest keep hoein’ it down, and mebbe 
you’ll kill it out after while.” 

Jane was so angry over this very sensible 
advice that she would not speak a word to her 


A THORN IN THE FLESH 


15 


brother during the remainder of their walk 
homeward. Will was so accustomed to such 
passions on her part that he paid no attention 
to it, but turned his thoughts to the more con- 
genial subject of the rag-sewing in prospect. 
Yet the good seed had been sown in Jane’s 
unwilling mind. As they passed the “little 
field” she furtively observed the briars that 
poked obtrusively between the rails and nodded 
their heads at her as much as to say, “ Here 
we are, and you can’t get rid of us.” Their 
derision seemed so plain to her that she 
glanced slyly at Will to see if he had noted it; 
but his eyes were fixed upon a squirrel that 
was jumping lightly from branch to branch in 
a tall tree on the opposite side of the road, and 
the briars were entirely beneath his notice. 

As Jane went about her work that evening, 
her thoughts were absorbed in the one all- 
important subject of the study in store for her. 
To her credit, be it said, the material advan- 
tages to be gained from the money to be earned 
were put aside as too far in the future to be 
considered. The more important question was 
in regard to the preparation necessary to ac- 
complish her purpose. 

“ It’ll be time enough to spend the monej’^ 
after I’ve got it. I don’t know now what I’ll 
want then,” she very sensibly said to herself. 


16 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


All the time, Will’s advice kept ringing in her 
ears. She could but acknowledge the wisdom 
of it. She could plainly see what a hindrance 
her hasty spirit would be, and how it would 
stand in the way of her success. . She could re- 
call instances of teachers in her home school 
who had gained the ill-will of all the pupils by 
their disagreeable tempers. 

guess I’ll have to go to hoein’, as Will 
said, tho’ it seems like a pretty hopeless job. 
I’m bound to be a teacher, and I’m bound to 
succeed, temper or no temper. Mebbe it’ll be 
easier when I know I daresn’t get mad,” was 
her final reflection for the day. 


CHAPTER IL 


THE GOOD m THIJN^GS EVIL. 

The rest of the school term passed swiftly 
by, but ere its close Jane felt that she had 
made good progress toward the much-desired 
teacher’s certificate. She had done diligent 
and thorough work in the branches in which 
she was most deficient, and rigorously re- 
viewed the more familiar studies. Before he 
left the district, Mr. James advised her to take 
up the study of physical geography and of 
civil government, and suggested that perhaps 
the Rev. Mr. Davidson had text-books which he 
would be willing to loan her. He assured her 
that she would not find either branch hard, 
and he thought that she might learn much 
during the summer, if she would do systematic 
work and have regular hours for her studies. 
This Jane resolved to do, and at the first op- 
portunity went to the parsonage to see if she 
could obtain the desired books. 

The minister was a man who was himself 
an enthusiastic student, and much interested 
in any one who showed any desire to advance 

17 


18 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


in knowledge. Therefore, Jane met with a 
cordial reception, and her shy request for the 
loan of books was warmly received. The 
minister took her to his study and allowed her 
to examine his library, which seemed wonder- 
ful in size to the ignorant girl. He produced 
the very books she needed, and told her if at 
any time she found difficulties in her studies 
to come to him and he Avould be glad to assist 
her. Then he held a long conversation with 
her on the subject of education. He pointed 
out the disadvantages as well as the advan- 
tages to be gained by study. 

Said he : An education is a power either 
for good or evil. It may make you a blessing 
or a curse to the community in which you live, 
according to the way you use it. It is an 
added responsibility, for it widens the sphere 
of your influence, and gives you a power over 
others which must affect them one way or an- 
other. Your opinions, as an educated woman, 
will bear great weight with others ; and woe 
will be to you and them if yoxx are on the 
wrong side. Give me your civil government 
for a moment, and I will write on the fly-leaf 
a Bible truth that should be engraved on the 
wall of every college and school in the land. 
It is the divine estimate of education.” Jane 
handed him the book and he wrote, 


THE GOOD IN THINGS EVIL. 


19 


The Lord God hath given me the tongue 
of the learned, that I might know how to 
speak a word in season to him that is weary.” 
(Isa. 50 : 4.) 

“ I want you to read that frequently, and 
whenever you do, remember that it does not 
mean merely the very learned^ but all of us^ 
as far as we know. We think when studying 
that we are working for our own benefit 
alone, but the Lord does not intend it so. If 
you want to be truly successful, Jane, you 
must make your education count first for the 
Lord, and after that for yourself.” 

It was a very serious-faced girl that left the 
study. This was a new view of education, 
and she was not right sure that she liked it. 
She had an undefined feeling that serving the 
Lord was a business that did not pay very 
well in dollars and cents, and money was cer- 
tainly the thing she was after. She almost 
wished that she had not started out to try to 
obtain an education if it was to be such a very 
serious thing as Mr. Davidson made out. She 
was glad to find his wife out in the yard, that 
her thoughts might be diverted from the un- 
comfortable channel into which the minister 
had led them. 

Mrs. Davidson was working busily at her 
flower-beds, planting the tiny seeds in some, 


20 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


setting out bulbs or house-plants in others. 
She Avas an enthusiastic lover of flowers, and 
quite successful in their culture. Her beds 
Avere marvels of bloom all summer long, and 
her yard was the admiration of the whole 
country. She looked up brightly as Jane Avent 
over to where she was Avorking. 

“ I’m deep in the dirt again, you see, 
Janie.” 

Yes,” the girl ansAvered, ‘‘but one does not 
mind working in the dirt Avhen she can have 
such beautiful floAvers as you do to pay for it.” 

“ That is true,” replied the lady. “ He Avho 
is afraid of soiling his hands Avill never reap a 
beautiful harvest. It is true about a good 
many things beside raising floAvers, isn’t it ? ” 

“ I guess so. I don’t know,” replied Jane. 
The truth Avas too broad for her to grasp it all 
at once. 

“ Would my flowers grow if I did not plant 
and dig and Avater them ? ” 

“ Of course not.” 

“ If you did not study hard could you hope 
to obtain an education ? ” 

“Ho, ma’am.” Jane could understand this 
sort of reasoning. 

“ It is just so with everything Avorth having 
in this life. If Ave Avant it Ave must Avork for 
it. Yet there are thousands of people Avho sit 


THE GOOD IN THINGS EVIL. 


21 


down to Avait for good and pleasant things to 
come to them, and complain because the Lord 
does not send what they desire. Our good 
fortune is always ahead of us. We will never 
enjoy it if we sit down and wait for it to catch 
up with us. It is good that it is so, for it 
makes hard or disagreeable work easier to en- 
dure. We are all the time looking ahead for 
the reward.” 

‘‘ But sometimes the reward doesn’t come,” 
objected Jane, thinking of some of the tasks 
in which she took no pleasure. 

‘‘Are you right sure about that?” ques- 
tioned Mrs. Davidson. “ A great writer has 
said, ‘ The reward of a thing well done is to 
have done it.’ Is there not a satisfaction that 
comes with every task that is rightly done ? 
Take dish-washing for an example, as that is a 
task which every girl dislikes. If your dishes 
are bright and your glasses clear, and }^ou ar- 
range them neatly on the shelves, don’t you 
enjoy looking at them, even though you know 
that the work will all have to be done over 
again in a few hours ? ” 

“Yes,” Jane answered, emphatically. “I 
just love to stand off and look at my closet 
shelves after I get them all fixed. It’s worth 
all the trouble it takes.” 

“Then is not that a reward in itself? I 


22 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


think one reason why our daily tasks seem so 
hard is because we do not watch for the re- 
ward that accompanies each one, and so often 
miss it entirely. We keep looking for some 
great blessing after awhile, and overlook the 
little blessings that God offers to us every 
hour of our lives. There is no life so hard or 
so barren that it contains no blessing. There 
is something there, if the one who lives, will 
keep his eyes open to see it.” 

Silence fell between them. Jane did not 
know how to answer such arguments as these, 
and Mrs. Davidson was very willing to let the 
good seed she had sown sink down in the 
girl’s heart. Presently Jane said, wistfully, 

“ I wish we had such a yard as this. One 
could take some pleasure in it and in working 
to make it beautiful. But our yard is filled 
with those horrid old stumps, and there’s no 
use to try to do anything with it.” 

‘‘ Now, Janie, do you know I would really 
like to have some of your stumps in my yard ? 
Some of those old rotten- hearted ones would 
make beautiful flower-pots. I would fill them 
Avith earth and plant my flowers in the top 
and train vines over the sides, until they 
Avould be real ornaments. Why, child, you 
have possibilities for beauty in your yard that 
no one else has. Why don’t j^ou make the 


TEE GOOD IN THINGS EVIL, 


23 


most of your old stumps ? ” The lad\^’s en- 
thusiasm was so real that it was contagious. 
Jane’s eyes flashed. Her brain had caught the 
idea, and her artistic instinct seized upon it. 

“ I don’t see why I didn’t think of that my- 
self. Why, I can just make them lovely ! 
There’s ground ivy, and cypress, and morning 
glories, and those little gourd vines that would 
cover them beautifully, and make them all 
different. And then there’s ever so many 
kinds of flowers to plant in the tops. Nearly 
every one of them is hollow. Why, I can have 
just a lovely yard, and there’s nobody can 
have one exactly like it,” she cried. 

‘‘ If you want to try it, I’ll help you a little. 
I saved a great deal of seed from my flowers 
last year, and I can give you a number of 
kinds that would grow nicely in that rich 
earth,” Mrs. Davidson said ; and opening her 
seed-box she proceeded at once to make up 
some tiny parcels of the precious seeds. You 
see, Janie,” she said, as she worked, ‘‘your 
ugly stumps were among the blessings you 
were missing. They are ugly and undesirable 
as they now stand, but since you cannot get 
rid of them, you will have to beautify them. 
They are disadvantages that can be turned 
into advantages if you are willing to work a 
little to accomplish it. We might make our 


24 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


lives beautiful — as well as our yards — if we 
would follow this rule. Whenever we find 
anything undesirable in them, if we cannot re- 
move it, we might turn it into an added 
beauty.” Jane looked very skeptical over 
that assertion. 

Out of our ugly disappointments may 
spring the blossoms of patience ; out of trial 
comes hope; out of ill temper may grow a 
crown of peace; and out of hardship may 
come cheerfulness. Do you not see, my dear, 
how these things may add to the beauty of 
our characters ? I think the Lord must have 
meant something like this when he said : ‘ Be 
content with such things as ye havei^ Make 
the most and the best possible out of them. 
There now. Here are six different kinds of 
seeds, and I am going to look for some very 
beautiful stumps in your yard. You mustn't 
disappoint me.” 

Jane took the seeds with many thanks, and 
hastened toward her home. The lady looked 
after her with wistful eyes. “ May the good 
seed spring up in her heart, and bear flowers 
of beauty and fruit of good deeds,” she mur- 
mured as she turned back to her work. 

A tumult of thoughts surged through Jane’s 
mind as she walked swiftly over the familiar 
road that led to her home. She was planning 


THE GOOD IN THINGS EVIL. 


25 


where she would plant each kind of the flower 
seeds, and what vine would look best with 
each one. She knew, there were a number of 
delicate wild vines in the woods with which 
she could increase her variety. i 

Then there are the ferns,” she cried, as she 
caught sight of a delicate fern uncurling be- 
neath the sunny side of a protecting log. 

There are ever so many kinds, and they will 
look lovely. Mrs. Davidson hasn’t any ferns 
in her yard. I wonder how she hap'pened to 
forget them. She’ll have some after she sees 
mine, I know.” 

She walked along in happy silence, while 
graver thoughts began to crowd themselves 
forward. 

“ Be content with such things as ye have,” 
she murmured. Seems like there are not 
very many things in my life worth having. 
There’s nothing but hard work and poverty 
and no chance to be anybody or do anything.” 

“ Stumps,” whispered conscience. 

‘‘ I wonder whether they are,” she answered, 
reflectively. They certainly are ugly enough 
and disagreeable enough to be the worst kind 
of stumps ; and they are about like these old 
things along the road here. Some of them are 
right in the track, and some of them have 
roots that stick out and make bad jolts for ( 


26 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


Avhoever comes tins way — hut the road goes on 
in spite of them!''^ 

She was almost at the stile at home before 
she reached her final reflection. 

I do wonder whether my bad temper is a 
stump ? ” 


CHAPTEE III. 


A GLIMPSE INTO THE WOELD. 

In the Carter home, an unexpected visitor 
arrived one afternoon. A visitor was. a rarity 
that set the whole household in a flutter at any 
time ; but this visitor was one of extraordinary 
importance to the Carters; hence some excite- 
ment. 

Years previous, Mr. Carter’s younger brother 
had run away from his backwoods home, and 
had been swallowed up by the wonderful West. 
For many years no tidings had come from him, 
and his relatives believed he was dead. In- 
deed, he had been practically forgotten. Now, 
unannounced, he had returned on a visit to his 
boyhood home, and his relatives were over- 
whelmed by his wealth and magnificence. As 
proof of his wealth, he wore store clothes ” 
of a quality and style unknown to the jeans- 
clad inhabitants of the Poplar Eiclge district. 
Then he had wonderful Burnside whiskers and 
barber-cut hair. He wore russet shoes, and 
carried a gold watch attached to a veritable 
gold chain. 


27 


28 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


But liis clothes were not more impressive 
than his manner and his conversation. He was 
brisk, and energetic, and alert. His tones had 
a vigorous, hearty ring; and when he laughed, 
which he did frequently, he laughed with all 
his might. In spite of all his magnificence 
and his superior knowledge, he was unaffected 
and genuinely affectionate. He was overjoyed 
to be once more in his boyhood’s home, and to 
look upon familiar scenes that had changed so 
little during the years of his absence. At 
first, his brother’s family were awkward and 
ill-at-ease in his presence; but his hearty, 
kindly manner soon won their affection. He 
praised Mrs. Carter’s salt-rising bread and thick 
apple-butter, and enjoyed them so much that 
her housewifely fears were set aside, and she 
concluded he was “jest as common as any- 
body,” and became friendly accordingly. 

The four children hung entranced on his 
stories of life in the fabled West. He told of 
how he had worked his way as roustabout on a 
steamboat to St. Louis. In that city, by some 
means, he found his way to the stockyards 
where he met a cattle-man from Kansas. This 
man had been struck by his appearance, and 
persuaded him to go to his ranch and work 
as a cowboy. The offer of forty dollars a 
month had seemed fabulous wealth to the 


A GLIMPSE INTO THE WORLD. 


29 


backwoods boy who bad thought a dollar a 
large sum of money, and he had eagerly ac- 
cepted the job. 

But,” he added, seriously, ‘‘ that forty dol- 
lars did not look so big to me when I got fairly 
to work. I found that I would earn every 
cent of it, and it wouldn’t be easy work either. 
The bookstores and the flashy papers are full 
of stories that make boys crazy to lead a cow- 
boy’s life. They fill it full of dash, and adven- 
ture, and all that sort of thing; but these 
stories are written by fellows that don’t know 
what a cowboy’s life is. I doubt whether any 
of ’em ever lived west of the Mississippi river, 
and I’ll venture to say that the most of ’em 
never lived outside a big city. There are 
plenty of boys as foolish as I was, who will 
run away from good homes to lead a story- 
book life. When they get out on the plains 
they find how badly they have been deceived. 
The hardships, and trials, and privations of 
a cowboy’s life are never written in stories. 
They wouldn’t sound well. 

“ When I reached the ranch I found I had 
got into a hard berth. There were a lot of 
other fellows there, and they were toughs. 
They were fellows who wouldn’t be satisfied 
to sit down and lead an ordinary, steady life. 
They liked the dare-deviltry of the life they 


30 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


led. They drank and swore; they played 
cards and told rough stories, and read low 
novels. Their highest ambitions were to be 
counted the most daring rider of bucking 
bronchos, and the most skilful hand with a 
lasso. They went through all sorts of hard- 
ships and dangers for the sake of big wages. 
When they could get to some town they would 
spend every cent in a big spree, and go back 
penniless to their rough, hard work. Of course 
there are occasional exceptions to this descrip- 
tion, but I am talking of cowboys as I found 
them. 

‘‘ As I was a ‘ backwoods tenderfoot,’ I was 
considered a fair subject for sport by the boys 
among whom I found myself. They told me 
outrageous lies, which I was simple enough to 
believe. My acting upon them got me into 
some hard and dangerous experiences, which 
only added to the amusement of my associates. 
The hardest task, the most vicious broncho, 
always fell to my share. 

‘‘I tell you, there’s no romance in a coav- 
boy’s life Avhen it comes doAvn to the real, hard 
facts of the case. Sometimes the cattle Avould 
become unruly, or frightened, and Avould stam- 
pede. Then there was hard Avork for all of us, 
no matter Avhat the weather might be until 
they Avere under control again. Sometimes 


A GLIJIPSE INTO THE WORLD. 


31 


one of those long-horned Texan steers AYoiild 
get mad with rage, and woe to the cowboy that 
happened to be in his way. If there Avas no 
place where he could take refuge, or if he had 
no ‘shooting irons,’ it was all up with him. 
Many a poor felloAV has been rolled in a blanket 
and buried in an unmarked grave, and his 
friends never kneAV what became of him. 
Most people think cowboys carry pistols just 
for fun, or because they are desperadoes. I 
tell you the ready revolver is the only thing 
that saves many a poor fellow from the horns 
of an angry brute. 

“ I can’t begin to tell you all the things I 
Avent through in the year I stayed on that 
ranch. One time, I remember, Ave were aAvay 
out on the ranch and our Avater supply gave 
out. We drove for miles, but found all the 
Avater-holes dried up by the drouth. The cat- 
tle greAV wild Avith thirst, and Ave were almost 
perishing ourselves. Every man’s tongue Avas 
swollen out of his mouth and cracked open for 
lack of Avater. The poor beasts Avere in even 
a Avorse condition than Ave Avere. You cannot 
imagine the tortures Ave suffered, nor how 
utterly exhausted Ave greAV as Ave rode on and 
on and on in search of Avater. The thoughts 
of the big spring here at home Avere torment 
to me then. I would gladly have given my 


32 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


year’s wages for one drink from the cool 
stream. Numbers of our cattle dropped by the 
way. We, ourselves, were almost dead men 
before water was reached. I don’t like to 
think of it. The very memory is painful. I 
only tell it to you as an instance of what cow- 
boys really have to endure. No sensible boy 
would ever leave a good home, for such a life 
as this, if he could look ahead, and see what he 
would have to experience. 

‘‘I only stayed on the ranch a year. I 
wouldn’t drink or gamble, and the boys did 
not like me on account of it. They called me 
stingy and unsociable, and did everything they 
could to make my life miserable. I drew very 
little of my wages until the end of the year, 
and then I had enough to start out for myself. 
I took up a claim, lived in a dug-out with a sod 
roof, worked hard and saved every cent I could. 
What I made I invested in stock, and that in- 
creased of itself. As I was able I improved 
my land and bought more. Now I have six 
hundred and forty acres, well-improved and 
well-stocked. I have been fortunate ; still my 
good fortune has not been Avhat people call 
luck. I don’t believe in luck. A man, or for 
that matter any one, has got to work hard and 
faithfully if he Avants to get ahead. He has 
got to save his money, and not spend it for un- 


A GLIJirSU INTO THE WORLD, 


33 


necessary things merely because he would like 
to have them. He must be honest, and he 
must be industrious. Abov^e all, he must let 
whiskey and tobacco and cards alone. Then 
he may hope for success.” 

With such stories as these Mr. William Car- 
ter entertained his nephew and nieces, who 
listened with unconcealed amazement. Such 
wonderful ideas as these had never before 
entered their heads. Their uncle’s possessions 
seemed boundless. 

‘‘ Six hundred and forty acres of land ! ” 
Will exclaimed. What does he do with all of 
it ? Ten acres is ail pap and I can work.” 

And two hundred cattle and as many hogs ! 
Did you ever ! I’d hate to have to milk that 
many cows and feed all them hogs,” added 
Jane, whose ideas had not expanded sulRciently 
for her to understand the difference between 
stock cattle and milk cows, nor to realize that 
women did not do that sort of work in Kansas. 

Their uncle’s descriptions of machines that 
would plant corn and wheat and potatoes 
seemed to them too wonderful to be true. 
They looked at their little fields dotted with 
rocks and stumps, and shook their heads over 
his accounts of great gang-plows drawn by six 
horses. One horse was all their father ever 
used in plowing his fields, and their corn and 


34 


FOUR ROADS TO HAFPINESS. 


potatoes were dropped by hand and covered 
by a hoe. 

Altogether, this visit was an era in the his- 
tory of these people whose lives had moved in 
the same old groove for years, and to whom no 
such excitement as this had ever come. 

Mr. William Carter did not stop merely with 
stories of his own good fortune. He kindly 
inquired into his brother’s financial condition, 
and with brotherly kindness paid off a mort- 
gage that had harassed the souls of the Carter 
family for several years. It was only a hundred 
dollars, but it had seemed a hopelessly large 
amount to these people whose living had to be 
made from ten acres of yellow clay soil, and 
what little else they could make from butter, 
eggs and chickens. The little cooper-shop had 
added a small amount to their very small in- 
0 come, and thus they had managed to live. 

Mr. Peter Carter was a shiftless sort of man 
who had been content to live along the same 
narrow way as had his father and grandfather 
before him, and had never felt his limitations 
because he did not know them. He made no 
improvements, because he felt the need of 
none. When his rail fences became too rotten 
to stand up, he put new rails in the same 
places. One horse, two cows and a couple of 
hogs comprised the usual amount of live-stock 


A GLIMPSE INTO THE WORLD, 


35 


kept on his farm. Corn-bread, bacon and 
‘‘tree-molasses” were the staple articles of 
food. In short, he lived as hundreds of people 
did then, as hundreds of people do to-day, 
among the solitudes of the Hoosier hills. 

To Mr. William Carter, fresh from the rush- 
ing activity of the West, such inertia seemed 
incredible and unendurable. He tried in vain 
to arouse his brother’s ambition and inspire 
him to more energetic action. 

“ He is too old, and his habits have become 
fixed,” he said at last. “ I will have to see 
what I can do with the children. Their lives 
yet lie before them, and for them there is hope 
for something better than this mere existence. 
What good, what pleasure can they have in 
such a life as this ? I am sorry for them. I 
cannot bear to have their lives wasted as the 
lives of their parents have been. They might 
as well never have been born. The world does 
them no good, and is none the better for their 
living in it. It’s a pity they are not all boys. 
There isn’t much chance for girls in the world. 
If they can make a living for themselves they 
will do pretty well. But a boy can do any- 
thing, and make money in a hundred ways. 
I’m glad I was born a boy.” 


CHAPTER IV. 

THE WAY OF THE WORLD. 

What are you going to do with this young 
man?” asked Mr. AVilliam Carter one day, as 
he laid his hand on Will’s shoulder. 

“ Do with him ? Why nothin’,” answered 
his brother, hardly comprehending the ques- 
tion. 

‘‘Are you going to keep him here in the 
backwoods to grub briars and hammer barrels, 
or are you going to let me take him out West 
and teach him how to make money ? ” was the 
next startling question. 

“ Why — I dunno,” deliberated Mr. Peter Car- 
ter. “ I can’t see but he’d do fairly well here. 
I’ve alius managed to make a livin’ here, an’ 
dad alius did, an’ what’s been good enough 
for us ort to be good enough for him. What 
’ud he do with a hull lot of money ef he had it ? 
After you’ve got vittles an’ clo’es, what else is 
there ? Seems to me, a hull lot of money ’ud 
be a hull lot of bother.” 

“There’s considerable difference even in food 
and clothes,” returned his brother. “But that 
36 


THE WAY OF THE WORLD, 




is not all there is in life to enjoy. One likes 
to have a nice home, and a good farm with 
plenty of fine, fat stock. I like to look over 
my great fields and saj^ ^all this is mine. I 
earned every foot of it.’ Or I enjoy going 
out among my stock — fine thoroughbreds, most 
of it — and think how I worked and saved and 
got it all. 

Then, if one has money he can travel about 
and see what is in the world. To you who 
have never been out from among these hills, 
the world is all hills, and rocks and trees and 
rail fences and log cabins. You cannot im- 
agine such a place as the one where I live, 
where one can stand in his door and look for 
miles in every direction. You do not know 
what the rest of the world is doing. Whole 
nations might be swept from the earth, and 
you would never know it. You do not know 
what your own government is doing. You go 
to the polls and vote for the men who are on 
the ticket handed to you, and you have not 
the slightest idea, what sort of men they are, 
nor what your vote may help to do for the 
country.” Mr. William Carter stopped merely 
for want of breath, and his brother answered 
slowly, 

‘‘ Wa-al, supposin’ things air as you say, what 
difference does it make to us ? We hain’t got 


38 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


nothin’ to do with other nations so long as 
they let us alone. An’ as for the guver’ment ; 
I don’t see but we’d git along jest as well with- 
out one as with one. It never makes no dif- 
ference with us, anyway. I quit a-votin’ long 
ago, except for constable, an’ roadmaster, an’ 
justice. Them’s the only olRcers as ever done 
us any good, an’ we don’t reely need them. 
As for clo’es, I wouldn’t want to bother with 
such as them you’ve got on. I couldn’t breathe 
easy for fear o’ spilin’ them, an’ I wouldn’t 
care to be so different from ever’ body else. I 
don’t need no gold watch, ’cause I kin tell 
dinner time by the sun. So I don’t see but 
I’m about as well off as you air, an’ I don’t 
have to work so hard neither.” 

Mr. William Carter was so disgusted by this 
revelation of ignorance and shiftlessness that 
he could hardly restrain the severe condemna- 
tion it deserved. But he was man of the world 
enough to know that in such cases argument 
is useless. If a man does not know enough to 
recognize his own needs, he does not know 
enough to be convinced by any amount of 
argument that others are better off than him- 
self. So he tried another line of reasoning. 

Suppose you should happen to die ; do you 
think Will could support the family here ?” 

‘‘Why, I reckon so. The place ’ud be jest 


THE WAY OF THE WORLD. 


39 


the same that it alius was. Ef he couldn’t git 
along why Jane could git a place to work out 
down to the Landing, There’s a sight o’ lazy 
women down there as keeps hired girls.” 

This was worse than ever. Mr. William 
Carter actually felt ashamed to have to call 
such a man as this his brother. He turned 
impatiently to the boy who stood silently be- 
side him. 

‘‘And what do you say to all this, Will? 
Do you want to stay here all your life and 
never have anything better nor know any- 
thing more than is to be found among these 
stony hills ? Don’t you want to see something 
of the world and have some of the things that 
it holds out to those who will seek for them ? 
Wouldn’t you like to wear good clothes, and 
ride a fine horse, and have money in the bank, 
and know something of a life worth living ? ” 

The boy was digging vigorously in the soft 
earth with his clumsy boot heel. His mind 
was in a turmoil. Such a flood of new ideas 
had entered his brain in these few days of his 
unde’s visit that he had been unable to bring 
order out of the confusion. There was more 
of his uncle’s disposition in the boy than there 
was of an inclination to follow his father’s 
example. He was weary of grubbing among 
briars and stones, of chopping wood and split- 


40 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


ting rails, of cutting hoop poles and hammer- 
ing barrels. He had reached the age when he 
had begun to be ambitious to have something 
of his own. One of his boy friends had lately 
come into possession of a spirited colt that 
had filled the minds of all the other boys with 
envy. They found walking a wearisome task 
when Martin Cox pranced by them on his 
lively grey. How, as Mr. William Carter 
spoke of wearing good clothes and riding a 
fine horse. Will thought of the coveted colt. 
Would he ever own one if he stayed on the 
little stony farm? Had not his uncle been 
wise when he left the same old home, and had 
he not succeeded better than the brother who 
had stayed ? 

His uncle studied the boy’s face and divined 
the conflict that was going on in his mind. 

‘‘You might go and try it awhile,” he urged. 
“ If you do not like western life you can come 
home at any time, you know. You don’t need 
to be in a hurry to make up your mind, for I 
Avant to go up to the city. for a Aveek. You 
can think it over, and talk it over, and decide 
by the time I come back. There’s plenty of 
Avork on my farm, and I’ll give you good 
Avages. I haA"e no boy of my own, and you 
are my namesake. I’d like to give you a start 
in the world, and let you have a chance to 


THE WAY OF THE WORLD, 


41 


make something of and for yourself. You 
won’t object if the boy wants to go, will you, 
Peter ? ” 

Why, I reckon not. He’s a-gittin’ big 
enough to do for his self, an’ ef he wants to work 
hard for his livin’ why that’s his lookout. I 
’low he’ll be cornin’ back shortly,” replied the 
father. That ended the conference. That 
evening, Mr. William Carter departed for the 
city, and Will settled down to hard thinking. 

The Carter home was a log house that stood 
upon the side of a hill that sloped steeply to 
the road. There were two rooms in the cabin, 
and a low loft — reached by a ladder — above 
them. Beneath the house was a good base- 
ment which Avas used as a kitchen and living 
room, and Avas reached only by an outside en- 
trance. This basement Avas the envy of all 
the other people of the district, and as it faced 
toAvard the road it gave the cabin the appear- 
ance of being tAvo stories in height and there- 
fore superior to its neighbors. 

Farther up the hill and a little to one side 
Avas the barn, a long Ioav structure of logs, 
covered by a clapboard roof. In the dim past 
some ancestor of the Carters must have pos- 
sessed more stock than the present incumbents, 
and therefore the big barn Avas built. The one 
horse and the two coavs of the present OAvner 


42 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


looked lonesome in their roomy quarters. One 
end of the barn Avas used for a cooper-shop, 
AAdiere Will and his father spent their rainy 
days. Eaii fences surrounded the yard and 
barn lot, and divided the remainder of the 
farm into two fields — known as the big field ’’ 
and ‘‘ the little field ” — although both together 
contained only ten acres. Across the road 
from the house was a ten-acre “wood-lot” 
which was covered by a dense growth of 
heavy timber. This Avas the extent of the 
Carter homestead. 

Home had never looked so attractive to 
Will Carter as it did after his uncle’s depart- 
ure. He could not imagine a spot that was 
not shut in by hills and trees. He had never 
been farther from home than the river land- 
ing, and even there the view Avas bounded by 
the forest-clad hills on the Kentucky shore. 
He had spent the sixteen years of his life in 
unreasoning content. How, the seeds of dis- 
satisfaction had been soAvn in his heart. His 
uncle’s stories of the Avonderful West and its 
still more Avonderful ways had fascinated him, 
and had filled him Avith a desire to see these 
things for himself. His uncle’s “ fine clothes 
and gold Avatch” had failed to arouse his 
father’s envy, but they had filled the boy Avith 
a burning desire to possess such things. “ The 


TRE WAY OF THE WORLD. 


43 


love of money ’’had taken hold on his heart, 
and the pursuit of riches appeared to him the 
only way to reach happiness. Still, he loved 
his home and his family. He clung to them, 
and could hardly make up his mind to leave 
them. It seemed to him that if once he went 
out into the great, busy world he would never 
be able to find his way back to the quiet nook 
among the hills. 

He had been doing up his chores one even- 
ing, and after he finished he stood leaning 
against the big barn door watching Jane milk 
the cows. It never occurred to him to help 
her. Milking was strictly a woman’s task in 
that section of the country, and much beneath 
the dignity of any man or boy. 

Suddenly he broke the silence. 

‘‘ I say, Jane, would you do it ? ” 

Do what ? ” asked his sister, without turn- 
ing her head. 

“ Go out West.” 

^^Yes, I would,” answered Jane, emphatic- 
allj^. If I had been a boy, it wouldn’t have 
taken me this long to make up my mind. 
There’s nothing here but poverty and hard 
work. If you stay here you’ll never have 
anything better than you have now, and 
you’ll never know any more. I wish I wasn’t 
a girl. I’d go, too. I want to see something 


44 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


and know something. I want to be somebody 
and do something in the world. There isn’t any 
chance here, and there don’t seem to be any 
chance anywhere — for a girl,” she added, bit- 
terly. 

“ But I’m afraid I wouldn’t like it and would 
wish myself back home,” objected Will. 

“Well, couldn’t you come back? There’s 
no law compelling you to stay if you don’t 
like it or can’t succeed. But you will like it, 
and you will succeed, if you just set your head 
that way.” Here it occurred to Jane that her 
sage advice applied quite as forcibly to herself 
as it did to Will. She was so overcome by the 
idea that she forgot the subject in hand and 
began to consider her own case. Her emphatic 
words had a decided effect upon her brother. 

“ I’ll go,” he said, forcibly. “ I’m tired of 
briars and stones and barrels. I’d like to 
handle a six-horse plow, and ride a horse of 
my own. And some day, when I have a farm 
of my own and a pocketful of money. I’ll 
come back and get you, Janie, and let you see 
the world too.” So it was decided. 

When Mr. William Carter returned from 
the city he found his nephew ready to accom- 
pany him to his western home. 

And so 'Will Carter set out into the world, 
to seek his happiness in the pursuit of riches. 


THE WAY OF THE WORLD, 


45 


He did not know that A man’s life con- 
sistetli not in the abundance of the things 
which he possesseth,” but that it lay in being 
^‘rich toward God.” He had yet to learn 
through experience, that, The love of money 
is the root of all evil.” 

Therefore, he made this serious mistake at 
the very starting-point in his career. 


CHAPTER V. 


A WONDEEFUL WOKLD. 

Those who have never lived within the 
solitudes of the Hoosier hills cannot even im- 
agine the wonder of the boy who had sud- 
denly left them and entered the great outside 
world. The river steamers were the only 
means of travel, for the railroad had not pene- 
trated those rocky hills and dense forests. 

Mr. William Carter had not forgotten his 
own far-away experiences, and therefore he 
took keen pleasure in showing the boy the 
various wonders through which he was pass- 
ing and explaining the many things which were 
new to him. The power of steam and the 
complication of machinery on the boat filled 
him with awe. The perfect adjustment of 
parts, which enabled the pilot with one hand 
to turn the great boat this way or that, seemed 
incomprehensible. The handsome saloons 
were a fairy palace, and the grand piano was 
a music machine ” that surpassed his wildest 
dreams. He would have been willing to stay 
on the boat forever. “ Surely,” he thought, 
46 


A WONDERFUL WORLD. 


47 


‘Hlie world has nothing grander than this.” 
He was sorry when St. Louis was reached, and 
he reluctantly crossed the gang-planks and left 
the floating palace behind him. It was soon 
forgotten in the turmoil of the great city. 

Mr. William Carter’s first care was to im- 
prove the external appearance of his nephew, 
who was so very different from those around 
him as to attract universal attention. A bar- 
ber relieved the boy of his shock of “ home- 
cut” hair. “I look like a sheared sheep,” 
Will exclaimed when the operation was over. 

“You look more like a man,” returned the 
barber, emphatically. 

A complete suit of “ store clothes ” which, to 
Will’s mind, cost a fabulous price, took the 
place of the home-woven jeans, and so trans- 
formed the boy that he almost lost his own 
identity. Mr. William Carter looked at him 
with satisfaction. “ How you look civilized,” 
he said, and Will wondered whether that 
meant he had previously looked like a savage. 
He had yet to learn that a large part of the 
world estimates a man’s worth by the coat he 
wears, and takes little account of the soul that 
dwells under it. His uncle was one of this 
class. His god was money, his sole happiness 
the adding of acre to acre and dollar to dollar. 
He was so engrossed with the “ cares of this 


48 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


world and the deceitfulness of riches ” that he 
never looked above or beyond them for higher 
and eternal good. 

A few hours later the railroad train was 
whirling the travelers westward. For a while 
Will was so terrified by the speed at which 
they were going that he could not heed the 
wonders by the way. After a few stops at 
stations he became convinced that the engi- 
neer had his machine under perfect control, so 
he breathed easier and began to look about him. 

Broad stretches of prairie opened out to 
view. The hills and forests gradually disap- 
peared, and when Kansas was finally reached 
his amazement was boundless. Immense fields 
of green wheat stretched away on either hand. 
Men were plowing with four and six-horse 
teams in fields where there were neither rocks 
nor stumps, and turning up such black soil as 
he had never seen. 

“ Where are the fences ? ” he asked his 
uncle. ‘‘How do they tell where one farm 
ends and another begins ? The roads go right 
through the fields, and they all go straight. 
How can they tell one road from another? ” 
They were childish questions for such a great 
boy to ask, but many a grown person has 
thought the same things when viewing the 
prairies for the first time. 


A lFOAW£JiF[/L WORLD, 


49 


At Wichita the travelers were met by one 
of Mr. Carter’s hired men, and the remainder 
of the journey was completed in what Will 
felt sure must be the most luxurious carriage 
that could be made, and behind horses which 
put Martin Cox’s grey to shame. He had 
never seen such clean-limbed, shapely animals 
as these, with their delicate nostrils and ears, 
proudly arched necks and flowing tails. 
AVould he ever be the happj^ possessor of such 
a team ? 

His uncle’s home proved to be a large frame 
house, situated on an eminence which com- 
manded a view of the country for many miles 
around. Houses were to be seen on every 
hand, each surrounded by its little grove and 
orchard, its straw-covered stables and gran- 
aries. Windmills flashed their white wheels 
in the breeze. Av/ay off to the south the 
Hinnescah river wound its crooked way east- 
ward, its course marked by a green line of 
scrubby elm and cottonwood trees. The 
mirage rose and fell in vapory waves on the 
far horizon. The air was clear, the sunshine 
dazzling. Will looked upward, and wondered 
at the loftiness of the sky above him. At 
home it had appeared as a flat surface that al- 
most rested upon the tops of the trees. Here 
it arched in a vast dome of deepest blue at an 


50 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


immeasurable distance. But of all things that 
he saw, the roundness of the world impressed 
him most deeply. The horizon swept in a 
circle, without forests or hills to break the 
perfect outline. Altogether, the boy was 
dazed by the newness and strangeness of the 
world in which he now found himself, and it 
took some time for him to become accustomed 
to his new life. 

Mr. William Carter had but one child, a 
daughter about fifteen years of age, and Will 
found her quite as strange as the world in 
which she lived. She was merry and dashing, 
fearless and free. She was not bold or loud 
in manners, yet at the same time she was easy 
in company and ready in conversation. Will 
Avas astonished by the number of things she 
could do, and the spirit and the alertness with 
Avhich she did them. He Avas accustomed to 
his sister’s sloAV-going Avays, and could not but 
be amazed at this Avestern girl’s sAviftness. 
His amazement reached its farthest limit Avhen 
he saAV her Avalk into the corral one day, bridle 
a Avild little pony, strap a blanket upon its 
back and then leap lightly upon it. The pony 
Avhirled and danced, but the girl seemed to 
think nothing of it. Will opened the gate for 
her, and aAvay she flew across the prairie at 
Avhat he considered a break-neck speed. 


A WONDERFUL WORLD, 


61 


‘^What are you gawking at questioned 
one of the farm hands who happened to be 
near. ‘‘ Didn’t you ever see a girl ride ? 
Well, you’ll get used to that before you’ve been 
long in Kansas. Every girl has her pony, and 
they know how to ride, too. People don’t go 
afoot here, like they do where you came from.” 

If Will was surprised by his cousin’s ways, 
she was no less interested in his. She was in- 
clined to be amused at first, he was so different 
from those to whom she had been accustomed. 

But her father said, “You must remember, 
Bessie, that he has spent all his life in a little 
corner among the woods.. The boy is smart 
enough. All he lacks is a chance to learn. 
You must help him all you can, for the poor 
fellow is lonely and no doubt homesick.” 

Bessie’s kind heart was touched. She was a 
good girl, following the example of her Chris- 
tian mother, and as a faithful Endeavorer al- 
ways on the lookout for some work that she 
might do for the Master Avhom she served. 
So now, as she looked at her cousin, she won- 
dered whether the Lord had a special work 
for her to do in helping him in this his new 
life. 

Will had everything to learn about work in 
Kansas. Accustomed only to the use of one 
horse, he could not even harness a team ; and 


52 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


many were the laughs the other farm hands 
had at his expense. Sometimes he grew so 
angry and so homesick that he was almost 
tempted to give up and go back to the famil- 
iar solitudes of his Hoosier home. 

But the love of money had taken possession 
of his soulj and he could not bear to give up 
his twenty dollars a month and go back to 
grub briars and hammer barrels for a bare 
living. When discouraged or lonely he would 
go out and look at his uncle’s fine horses, his 
corrals filled with fattening hogs and steers, 
his pastures dotted with cattle, and would say 
to himself, ‘‘ No, I’ll stick it out. He started 
just as I am, and all this is his. I’ll not go 
back till I have a farm of my own and a 
pocketful of money.” 

With such an object as this in view he set 
earnestly to work to learn the secrets of west- 
ern money-making. For him, life held noth- 
ing greater than the wealth he was striving to 
win. Following his uncle’s advice, as fast as 
he earned it, every dollar of his wages was 
put into stock of some kind, and he was sur- 
prised to find how fast his investments grew. 
Sometimes his conscience troubled him because 
none of his earnings were going to help his 
homefolks. 

Then he would stifie his better nature by 


A WONDERFUL WORLD, 


53 


saying, “ They don’t need it now. They have 
just as much as they ever had, and would not 
know what to do with more money. Besides, 
I am doing all this for them. I must buy feed 
for my stock, and I must keep it up in good 
shape, if I want to get ahead. Some day when 
I get a place of my own, and something ahead, 
then I can help the homefolks. Anyhow, Jane 
will soon be ready to teach and then she will 
make more money than I am getting.” 

So he settled down to his selfish life, and 
shirked the duty which was really his by shift- 
ing it to Jane’s shoulders. His uncle took 
pride in his diligence and his saving ways. 
He saw in the boy many of his own charac- 
teristics, and took delight in freeing him from 
all taints of his father’s shiftlessness. ‘‘ Keep 
on as you have begun. Will, and you’ll be as 
well off as I am before you are my age,” he 
would say encouragingly. 

Bessie, however, took a different view of 
her cousin’s actions and disposition. She felt 
righteously indignant over the selfishness he 
showed, and his indifference toward those who 
had a right to expect his assistance. She rec- 
ognized it as a serious flaw in his character, 
and was grieved to see that her own father 
was fostering this bad trait in Will’s disposi- 
tion. She had questioned her cousin closely 


54 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


in regard to his home and those whom he had 
left there, and had become deeply interested 
in his sisters. She knew just how they lived, 
and how few advantages they possessed. She 
looked at her well-filled bookshelves, her nu- 
merous papers and her dearly beloved piano, 
and wondered how any girl could live without 
such things. 

What do they do with their time ? ” she 
asked herself. ‘‘ There is little work on such 
a tiny farm. There is nowhere for them to 
go and nothing to do. I don’t believe I could 
live without my piano and pony.” 

Her pity and her piety went hand in hand. 
It was not enough with Bessie Carter that she 
felt sorry for any one. She was never satis- 
fied until she did something to help as well. 
So now, without saying anything to any one, 
she put some of her spendmg-money into sub- 
scriptions for good papers and a good maga- 
zine for these backwoods cousins whom she 
had never seen. Little did she realize how 
great her kindness was, nor how much good it 
was destined to do to those who received it. 
There was no one to tell her how eagerly the 
weekly mail-day was looked forward to, nor 
how Avillingly Jane trudged three miles and 
back whenever the day came, that she might 
receive the precious papers without delay. 


A WONDERFUL WORLD. 


55 


Bessie could not see how every word was read, 
nor know how Jane’s mind expanded as it 
thus came in touch with the great outside 
world and felt the kindling glow of cultured 
minds. New ideas were aroused, new thoughts 
and ambitions awakened, new energies devel- 
oped by the thoughtful kindness of a girl who 
‘‘ endeavored ” to live for her Master’s sake. 


CHAPTER YI. 


SUMMEli TASKS. 

JatnTe’s studies were pursued through the 
summer in a rather irregular fashion. There 
were many things much more entertaining 
than dry books, especially such books as Jane 
found her civil government. There were^so 
many hard words in it, and so many things so 
far above her understanding, that she found 
it a difficult study. She held a good many of 
her father’s ideas in regard to the United 
States government, and was sadly puzzled by 
the complicated machinery of law which she 
found mentioned in her book. Such things 
did not reach into their quiet corner of the 
Great Republic. They did not even have a 
Aveekly newspaper to tell them of the doings 
of the great, wicked, busy world that lay be- 
yond the boundaries of the wooded hills. The 
President and Congress and the Constitution 
were nothing to them. They did not feel 
their need of them, nor realize that they re- 
ceived any benefit from them. They paid 
their taxes without the slightest idea why they 
56 


SmiMEB TASKS, 


57 


did so, or where the money was to be used. 
Therefore Jane’s book was a sad puzzle to her, 
and it was not long until she cast it aside in 
despair. 

Physical geography was more entertaining, 
and she enjoyed reading of the wonderful 
plants, animals and people that were to be 
found in other parts of the earth. There were 
parts even of this book which she found be- 
yond her comprehension, simply because her 
experience and her knowledge were so limited. 
How could she understand the subject of tides 
and currents when she had never seen a larger 
body of water than the stream that gushed 
from their “ big spring ” ? She needed a good 
teacher to help her over such hard places. 

She would not go to the minister for aid, 
because she had not liked what he had said to 
her in regard to the use the Lord expected her 
to make of her education. Indeed, the text 
written in the front of her civil government 
contributed not a little to her dislike of the 
book. She had a dim idea that serving the 
Lord ” meant giving up liberty, pleasure and 
all desirable things for a life of gloomy self- 
denial and service.” 

“Ho, no. If she could not use education as 
she chose, and for herself alone, she did not 
want it. She would not serve anybody, not 


58 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


even the Lord, of whom she knew very 
little.” 

Such things as this she said very positively 
to herself whenever her eyes chanced to see 
the troublesome text. 

Jane’s religious education was even more 
limited than her secular one. Mr. and Mrs. 
Carter had professed to ‘‘ get religion ” in their 
youth, and had joined the church at the time. 
As years rolled on and family cares increased, 
they had ceased church-going, and had gradu- 
ally drifted away from all Christian observ- 
ances. They kept the Sabbath, after a fash- 
ion, inasmuch as no field work and no such 
tasks as washing or churning were allowed. 
But beyond that their semblance of religion 
did not reach. All other tasks went on as 
usual. All visiting was done on this holy day, 
or rather holiday. Perhaps, after all, they 
were not so very much unlike the rest of the 
world in this respect. Even the cultured, re- 
fined, rich world beyond the Hoosier hills 
largely spells its holy days with an i instead 
of a y. 

The Carter children went to church and 
Sunday-school if they felt like it, or if their 
best clothes ” were in a presentable condi- 
tion. Thej^ went because the rest of their 
companions did, and from a restless desire to 


SmiMER TASKS. 


59 


somewhere.” No wonder, then, that 
with no religious training beyond this, Jane 
could see nothing desirable in serving the 
Lord. She could not see that her neighbors 
who professed religion were a bit better off 
than those who did not. She counted good 
and ill entirely in proportion to the gain or 
loss of dollars and cents. Was she very unlike 
the majority of humanity in this respect ? 

No civil government, no religious govern- 
ment, only to do as I please,” this was Jane 
Carter’s creed. So the civil government with 
its undesirable religious admonition was put 
aside. Before half the summer was over, all 
thought of study had been dropped. There 
were so many other things of greater impor- 
tance in Jane’s eyes that the desired teacher’s 
certificate was almost forgotten. 

First in estimation were the once despised 
stumps. Jane had transformed them into 
things of beauty, and she never tired of work- 
ing over her flowers or looking at her pretty 
yard. She followed Mrs. Davidson’s direc- 
tions carefully in regard to preparing the earth 
and planting her seeds, and it was not long 
until a luxuriance of foliage and blossom re- 
paid her toil. Every unsightly object was re- 
moved from the yard, and the ground care- 
fully raked. In return for the removal of 


GO 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


hindering chips, brush and stones, the grateful 
blue grass spread its carpet over* the bare 
spots, and turned the whole yard into a ver- 
dant place that was fair to look upon. The 
ugly stumps were hidden by clinging vines 
and crowded by brilliant blossoms. Ferns 
flourished in the shady corners, and a row of 
old-fashioned hollyhocks stood stiffly along the 
fence, “just like scholars in a spelling-class,” 
Jane said, laughingly. She was very proud of 
her yard, and was rendered still more happy 
by the commendation it received from her 
neighbors and from Mrs. Davidson. 

“ The ugly stumps have ceased to be ugly, 
Janie. Are you not glad after all that you 
have them ? that lady asked the girl one day. 

“ Indeed I am glad,” Jane answered, heart- 
ily. “ I think now that my yard is nicer than 
yours.” 

“ Yet you envied me because mine was free 
from stumps, and would hardly believe that 
your disadvantages were really your oppor- 
tunities. Will you not try to apply the beauti- 
ful object lesson to all the stumps which you 
find in 3^our life ? If you will take the pre- 
cious seeds of God’s Word and plant them in 
and around your unpleasant tasks, your disap- 
pointments and unfulfilled desires, you will be 
surprised to find how these things which ap- 


SUMMER TASKS. 


61 


pear to mar your life will turn into ornaments 
that will make it more beautiful.” 

don’t know,” Jane said, with a shake of 
her head. “ It seems to me a whole lot of 
money would be better than anything else to 
cover up the stumps in my life. There’s no 
chance for anything when one is as poor as 
we are.” 

‘‘But money alone will not make you 
happy,” urged the lady. “ Some of the most 
miserable people I know have abundance of 
money, beautiful homes, and seemingly every- 
thing that heart could desire, and yet they are 
not satisfied. Wealth brings troubles and 
cares and temptations and annoyances of 
which the poor know nothing. I am afraid, 
Janie, you are coveting somebody else’s door- 
yard.” 

Jane laughed. 

“ It’s a very pretty one, anyway,” she re- 
turned. 

Mrs. Davidson answered gently, “ There is 
a text in the Bible that says, ‘ Who hath de- 
spised the day of small things ? ’ It is the lit- 
tle things that go to make up our lives. Very 
few of us have large opportunities and favor- 
ing circumstances. We have to make the most 
of the little things that come to us, and turn 
our stumbling-blocks into stepping-stones to 


62 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


help us on our way. And, after all, the most 
beautiful promises of God are ‘ to him that 
overcometh.’ ” 

Jane did not know what answer to make to 
this. The very mention of the Bible stopped 
her mouth. It might as well have been 
printed in the original languages for all the 
good it was to her. She did not even want to 
hear about it. She had the uncomfortable 
feeling that it was a book of harsh commands 
and unpleasant forbiddings. Therefore she al- 
Avays relapsed into silence when Mrs. David- 
son began quoting from it. The lady was 
wise enough to knoAV Avhen she had said 
enough. She never talked Avith the girl Avith- 
out leaving some bit of gospel truth for her to 
ponder over, and it Avas always some bit that 
Avas so very applicable to the case that Jane 
could not forget it. 

After Will went aAvay Avith his uncle Jane 
Avas very lonely for a time. She had not real- 
ized how much she valued her brother’s com- 
panionship and help. His absence meant more 
than this to Jane. Somebody had to take his 
place in the field, and this Avork fell mostly on 
her. Her mother and the two younger girls 
could manage the houseAVork, the care of the 
milk and making of butter; so Jane Avas dele- 
gated to help her father. There Avere potatoes 


SU3mER TASKS, 


63 


and corn to be dropped and covered by a hoe ; 
briars and weeds to cut, the garden to make 
and many such jobs to be done. Will had 
dropped into his father’s slow, shiftless ways 
which Avere quite at variance with Jane’s more 
energetic nature. She was so much more 
speedy and accurate than her brother that her 
father was surprised by the difference. 

^‘It’s a pity you hain’t a boy, Janie. You 
could work all around Will ef you only had 
his strength. I declare, it’s a plum pity you 
air a girl,” he said, one day. 

‘‘I Avish I Avas a boy,” Jane ansAvered, with 
flashing eyes. ‘‘ I’d make things a sight dif- 
ferent around. here, and I’d make some money, 
too. Oh Avell, it Avon’t be long till I can teach 
school, and then I can make a Avhole lot.” 
Her hoe flew faster at the thought, and her 
mind became absorbed in the consideration of 
what she Avould do Avith her earnings. 

Thus the days passed, and occasionally a 
letter came from Will telling of his neAV home 
and the Avork he Avas doing. Late in the sum- 
mer the papers and magazine for which Bessie 
had subscribed began coming to Jane. Their 
arrival Avas the great event of the Aveek. To 
these people who had lived all their lives apart 
from the Avorld each issue Avas a Avonderful 
revelation. The parents took comparatively 


64 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


little interest, because the contents were so far 
beyond their comprehension, but Jane studied 
them diligently. She had to look on her maps 
for the places mentioned, and thus gradually 
began to get a clearer idea of the world. The 
illustrations of persons and places revealed a 
life far different from any she had known. 
The Avealth, the wisdom, the wickedness, the 
wideness of the world began to dawn upon 
her. References to public events and the do- 
ings of Congress sent her to her civil govern- 
ment for explanations of terms she did not un- 
derstand, and almost before she knew it the 
despised book became interesting to her. The 
study of the newspaper and the care of her 
flowers were the only recreations she had, and 
every leisure moment was spent upon one or 
the other. 

Of the two younger girls, Kate was the one 
more like Jane in disposition. She had much 
the same energy and ambition, and followed 
closely in Jane’s footsteps. The explanations 
of different things in the newspapers which 
the elder girl gave to the younger were of vast 
benefit to them both. The likeness of their 
dispositions drew them more and more to- 
gether, and Jane soon found in Kate a more 
congenial and helpful companion than Will 
had been. She infused into the younger girl 


SU3IMER TASKS. 


65 


a desire for education, and an ambition to be 
like the people of whom they read in their 
papers. 

Susie cared nothing for her sisters’ studies. 
She was a good-natured, lazy little thing who 
cared only for present comfort and pleasure, 
and was entirely content to Let the morrow 
take thought for the things of itself.” So she 
shirked what duties she could, and performed 
what she was obliged to do in as careless and 
leisurely way as possible, and troubled her 
head very little in regard to the rest of the 
world. What did she care how much other 
people worked, so long as she did not have it 
to do ? 

So each one pursued her own way in search 
of happiness as the summer days went by. 


CHAPTEE VIL 


WINTER EMPLOYMENTS. 

To Jane’s great joy, Mr. James was reap- 
pointed teacher of the school in District No. 
10 for the ensuing winter. She had been not 
a little worried over the chance that some one 
might receive the school who would not be in 
sympathy with her efforts, and perhaps incom- 
petent to assist her toward the teacher’s cer- 
tificate for which she was working. She was 
therefore overjoyed to find that her old teacher 
would again be able to help her, and welcomed 
the October days that brought the opening of 
school. 

Mr. James took a deep interest in the girl’s 
progress. She Avas his one bright, ambitious 
pupil, and it Avas a genuine pleasure to him to 
assist her in her Avork. 

If boys and girls could but realize how 
diligence, earnestness and obedience never fail 
to Avin the heart of a teacher, there surely 
Avould be fewer laggards in the ranks of 
students, and less room for so many to cry out 
against “favoritism.” The teacher does not 
66 


WINTER EBIPLOYBIENTS. 


67 


live who can stand up and truthfully say, I 
have no favorites among my pupils.” The 
pupil does not live who can truthfully say, ‘‘I 
have tried every means in my power, but my 
teacher will not like me.” The pupil who 
earnestly tries to do just as he is told, and en- 
deavors faithfully to master every task, will 
win the heart of his teacher without fail. 
Brilliancy does not count so much as faithful- 
ness. The former is the accidental gift of the 
few, but the latter is possible for all. Then 
let the dullard take courage, and the laggard 
quicken his paces, and ere they know it they 
Avill find themselves classed in the ranks of 
‘Hhe teacher’s favorites.” 

Jane had made fair progress in her phy- 
siology the previous winter, and, although her 
summer studies had been irregular and half- 
hearted, she had obtained a general idea of 
those two branches which made the study of 
them easy. Mr. James was a wise and efficient 
teacher. To drill the girl in the theory and 
practice of teaching he had her hear the recita- 
tions of maay of the younger classes, carefully 
showing her the best methods of conducting 
them. Did the younger ones need explana- 
tions on any lesson Jane was called upon to 
give them, and in this way her knowledge be- 
came clearly and firmly established. In short, 


68 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


the winter was a thorough normal course for 
the girl, and she made the most of her ad- 
vantages. Eain, mud, sleet and snow could 
not keep her away from school. Patiently slie 
trudged over the two-mile road every day, and 
Katie was ever at her side. 

Susie went when she felt like it, and when 
the weather was pleasant. 

‘‘I’m not goin’ to teach school,” she said, 
“ so I don’t care to bother. There’s plenty of 
time anyway, and I don’t like Mr. James. 
He’s cross with me, and scolds because I can’t 
get the ‘nines’ in my multiplication table. 
An’ he makes me sit with Bettie Eogers an’ I 
don’t like her. An’ it makes me tired to walk 
so far. So I guess I won’t go to-day.” 

Sometimes Mrs. Carter w^ould say, “You’d 
better go to school, Susie, an’ not let all the 
other girls git ahead o’ j^ou. You’ll be power- 
ful ashamed when you git big, ef you don’t git 
no schoolin’.” But she did not insist, for — 
truth to tell — she found it handy to have Susie 
at home to carry in wood, to run down to the 
spring and to do many other little errands to 
save herself. 

The indolent little girl found it much pleas- 
anter to sit on the floor in front of the big fire 
that glowed in the fireplace, and crack hickory 
and hazel nuts on the hearth, than it was to 


WINTER E3IPLOY3IENTS, 


69 


trudge through snow and cold to the hated 
school and study hard lessons in which she 
found no pleasure. 

Kate took intense interest in Jane’s studies, 
and was proud to see her sister take the teach- 
er’s place in school. 

‘^I’ll just be a teacher myself,” she said, 
earnestly. ‘‘I’m going right to work and 
will study with all my might, and I’m go- 
ing to keep on till I’m the very smartest girl 
in the whole neighborhood. An’ when I’ve 
learned all there is to know here. I’ll teach 
school and get money to go away to one of the 
colleges we read about in the magazine, and 
I’ll learn everything there is in the world to 
learn.” 

“And what’ll you do after you’ve learned 
everything?” Jane asked. 

“Why, I don’t know. Just enjoy myself, I 
guess,” was Katie’s vague answer. 

“ What’s the need of learning so much, if you 
don’t intend to use it?” asked practical Jane. 

“ Oh, I think it would be nice to know every- 
thing, and then I could make money enough 
to do what I wanted, and go round and see 
things. Isn’t that use enough ? ” 

The elder sister hardly knew what answer 
to make to this question. The whole line of 
Katie’s reasoning was so nearly in accord with 


70 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


her own desires that she could hardly tell 
Avhere the fault lay. Still, when it was bluntly 
put into words as Katie had stated it, it had a 
false ring which she detected. Suddenly, Mr. 
Davidson’s text flashed into her mind, and un- 
consciously she repeated it aloud : 

“ The Lord God hath given me the tongue 
of the learned, that I should know how to speak 
a word in season to him that is weary.” 

“ What do you mean ? ” Katie asked in sur- 
prise, as the solemn words fell from her sister’s 
lips. 

“ I don’t know. It’s just a Bible verse that 
Mr. Davidson wrote in my book, and he said 
it was what the Lord expected us to do with 
our educations. I don’t know how I happened 
to think of it, and I’m sure I don’t know what 
it means,” answered Jane. 

Katie pondered over the text as she stepped 
carefully from one little frozen pool to another 
and crunched the ice beneath her feet. Pres- 
ently she said : 

I b’lieve I can tell what it means. I was 
all tired out to-day and all mixed up on my 
fractions till Mr. James sent you to show me 
how to do them ; and then you explained them 
till they got easy and I forgot I was tired. 
Isn’t that what it means ? Say your verse 
again, so I can remember how it is.” 


WINTER EMPLOYMENTS. 


71 


The Lord God hath given me the tongue 
of the learned, that I should know how to 
speak a word in season to him that is weary,” 
repeated Jane. 

‘‘ "Why that is it — that surely is what it 
means, Janie. That’s a beautiful verse, I 
think. If you’ll say it over for me I’ll learn 
it, so’s I’ll know what to do when I’ve learned 
everything,” cried the little girl. I b’lieve it 
would be nice to bo able to help everybody 
like you did me, and make them forget their 
tiredness and feel like they could go ahead 
alone. Now say your verse, Janie.” 

The elder girl recited the text and the 
younger one repeated it after her, over and 
over, over and over, until it was so firmly im- 
pressed upon both memories that it was des- 
tined never to be effaced. 

Katie’s explanation of the Scripture passage 
was a sermon that went home to Jane’s heart. 
Could it be that her work for her young com- 
panions was fulfilling the Lord’s command ? 
Then that must be one way of serving the 
Lord, and she had to admit that she had not 
found it either a difficult or an unpleasant 
task. More than that she was conscious of the 
fact that in helping others she had herself been 
benefited. 

“ If this is serving the Lord then I wonder 


72 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


if everything people do to serve him helps 
them in the same way. I’ll ask Mrs. David- 
son about that sometime,” Jane thought as 
they walked silently over the remainder of 
their homeward road. 

From that day forward their verse ” was a 
constant monitor to the two sisters. It was 
their one text — the only bit of Scripture that 
they knew. It was the opening lesson of that 
AVord of truth that was “Able to make them 
wise unto salvation,” and although they real- 
ized it not, their religious education had be- 
gun. 

The three sisters sat before the blazing fire 
after supper that evening. Jane and Katie 
had their books, studying their lessons for the 
morrow. Susie had her favorite seat on the 
floor and divided her attention between her 
pet kitten and a lapful of nuts and apples. 

“ Do quit your studjdng, girls, and watch 
what pretty flames my shells make,” she cried, 
impatiently, “I should think you’d get enough 
of books in school, without bringing them 
home to spoil all the evening. I wish you’d 
quit, and talk to me. I’m tired of being all 
by myself.” 

“ Why don’t you go to school then ? ” asked 
Katie, as she pushed slate and book aside. The 
last one of her troublesome complex fractions 


WINTER EMPL0Y3IENTS, 


73 


was done, and she felt ready to join her sister 
beside the hearth. 

1 don’t like school,” Susie pouted. ‘‘ It’s 
too far, and the lessons are too hard. Maybe 
I’ll go when I get bigger. I’m only eleven 
now, and there’s plenty of time to learn.” 

‘‘ But if you wait you’ll be so far behind the 
other girls that you will be ashamed to go, 
and then you will never know anything,” an- 
swered Katie. 

Susie laughed. I’ll let you and J anie learn 
it all, and then if I need to know anything I’ll 
just ask you, and that will save me lots of 
bother. I want to know something right now, 
so you may tell me. What makes the flames 
from my shells so much brighter than the rest 
of the fire ? ” 

I don’t know,” replied Katie. 

“Well then, what makes apples have seeds 
in them? Why don’t they have stones like 
peaches ? ” 

“I don’t know,” again answered Katie. 

“ I don’t see as going to school is making 
you any wiser than I am after all. You don’t 
know and I don’t know. So I’m just as smart 
as you,” returned Susie triumphantly. 

“ But I will know some day, for I’m going 
to keep on until I know everything there is to 
learn, and when I find out then I’ll remember 


74 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


and tell you,” retorted Katie with spirit. 
‘‘ When you see what lots of money Janie and 
I make teaching school, then you’ll wish you’d 
learned j^our lessons so that you could earn 
some, too.” 

“ Oh, no, I won’t. Will is making a pile of 
money out West, and some day he will come 
back or send for us all to go there, and I won’t 
need to work any. I’ll be a fine lady and 
wear nice dresses, and ride a beautiful pony 
like Cousin Bessie does,” replied the obdurate 
little girl. 

‘‘You’d better both shut up your nonsense 
an’ go to bed. I think you both air plum 
silly,” interposed their father, as he shook the 
ashes from his corncob pipe, laid it on the 
“ mantel-board,” and proceeded to wind up the 
clock. That was always the sign that bedtime 
had arrived ; so the girls slowly put away their 
things and hastened upstairs. 

The two younger ones kept up their chatter. 
Jane made ready for bed in silence. She was 
studying over the little sermon that Katie had 
preached on the way home from school, and 
Avondering just how much there Avas to be 
gained by “serving the Lord.” Calculating 
from the benefit she had receiA^ed from aiding 
her younger schoolmates, she began to think 
that perhaps the same rule might be made to 


WINTER EMPLOYMENTS. 


75 


work out still more advantageous!}^ to herself. 
She wished there were some way of finding 
out beforehand how much gain she might ex- 
pect if she followed such a course. Perhaps 
there was some shorter road to wisdom, wealth 
and happiness than the one she was pursuing. 
If so, it was time for her to be finding it out. 
With this conclusion she dropped asleep. 


CHAPTEE YIII. 


WEALTH HAS WINGS. 

Will C alter had made up his mind that 
money was the best thing that the world con- 
tained, and therefore he turned his whole soul 
toward securing as much of it as possible. He 
had never cared for study. School had always 
been a weariness of the flesh to him, and he 
had rejoiced when spring work had freed him 
from its toils. He had never had any oppor- 
tunity to make any money for himself before 
he left home. All that he and his father 
could raise on the worn-out little farm had 
been needed for the support of the family, so 
that as long as he stayed at home he had 
nothing which he could call his own. His 
ambition for money-making did not assert 
itself until his uncle visited at his father’s 
home and revealed to the boy’s astonished ears 
what the world had to offer. 

With his new life in Kansas, Will Carter 
threw off the sluggishness of his early years, 
and awakened to the possibilities that lay 
before him. All the time that he was work- 

76 


WEALTH HAS WINGS. 


77 


ing for his uncle he was studying that gentle- 
man’s methods of money-making, and learning 
all that he possibly could to help him forward 
in the path he had chosen. 

His uncle took pride in the boy’s determined 
efforts to acquire what he himself considered 
the highest good in life, and rejoiced to see 
that the young fellow was of so saving a dis- 
position. 

‘‘Ho danger of Will wasting his money,” he 
would say approvingly. “ He’s lived without 
any for so long that he is not inclined to 
throw it away for all sorts of foolishness, as 
most young fellows do. Ho danger of his 
gambling or drinking or smoking it away. 
He is the kind of boy that will make a suc- 
cessful man.” 

“But father,” Bessie would sometimes say, 
“ why don’t Will ever send any money back to 
his homefolks ? If they are so poor as you 
say, they surely need his help.” Whereat her 
father would laugh heartily and say, “ What 
do you suppose they would do with money 
if they had it ? They don’t know enough to 
spend it. They have enough to eat — such as 
it is. They are not used to anything better 
than they have, and could not get it even if 
they wished. They have no need for fine 
clothes, for there is nowhere to go and no one 


78 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


to see. Calico and jeans are what the whole 
community wear. What could they do with 
money ? Will can do more good with his 
earnings if he keeps them here and invests 
them right. He can ‘turn his capital over,’ 
in a year, and make a good thing for him 
self.” 

“ But what is money for ? ” questioned 
Bessie. “ I thought it was intended to use. 
From what Will tells me, his home has 
scarcely anything in it, and the house is old 
and dilapidated. I should think he would 
want to fix things up comfortably. ” 

“ The house is good enough, and his people 
are satisfied with it as it is. It Avould only be 
a lot of dead money if he spent it there. Ho, 
my dear, don’t worrj^ your little head about 
such things. Will is making the best possible 
use of his monej^ and is getting ahead remark- 
ably well for a boy.” 

Bessie was silenced, but not convinced. She 
studied Will’s actions and his disposition, and 
saw that the spirit of selfishness and greed was 
getting fast hold on him. It pained her to see 
that while he did not spend his money fool- 
ishly, he would not spend it rightfully. 

It was a hot, breathless day in September. 
There had been no rain for weeks, and the 
prairies were burned brown by the fierce sun 


WEALTH HAS WINGS, 


79 


of summer. The bed of the Mnnescah river 
Avas nearly dry, and the tumble vA^eeds and 
rushes along its banks Avere Avithered and 
dead. The sky had a burned-out, coppery 
look, the Avind was dead, and there Avas a faint 
smell of smoke in the air. 

The men at Mr. William Carter's ranch had 
been plowing for Avheat ; but the ground was 
so dry and hard that they could hardly force 
the plowshares through it. 

‘‘I reckon Ave’ll haA^e to give it up, Mr. 
Carter,’’ one of the old men said Avhen they 
came to the house for dinner. The ground 
is dry as poAvder and hard as iron. We can’t 
keep the ploAVs in the ground, and Ave’ll have 
to stop till it rains.” 

‘Wery well,” the farmer ansAvered. ‘‘I 
thought you’d have to quit pretty soon. We’ll 
go at something else.” 

Some felloAv across the river has let fire 
get aAvay from him. It’s been creeping north 
all the morning. It can’t go much further, for 
it is almost to the river,” remarked another of 
the men. 

“ It’s a good thing the river’s there. If it 
Avasn’t Ave’d have to be lookingout for all those 
haystacks down in the bottom,” answered his 
employer. Then they all sat down to dinner, 
and turned their thoughts and conversation to 


80 FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 

other subjects. A sudden gust of wind whirled 
in at the south windows and swept through the 
dining-room. It was a hot, rough, dusty breeze, 
but it was air in motion,” and anything was 
better than the stagnation of the moment pre- 
vious, so they hailed it as a relief. Somebody 
had just made a joking remark about it, at 
which the rest were laughing, when Bessie 
rushed impetuously into the room. 

‘‘Father, father! The fire has jumped the 
river and is coming this way ! ” she cried. 

There was a chorus of exclamations. Every 
man sprang from the table, seized his hat and 
hurried outdoors. 

The strong wind from the southwest had 
fanned the creeping fire into a leaping, de- 
vouring monster. Huge burning tumbleweeds 
had been blown across the narrow river, and 
falling amid the dry grass and rushes of the 
eastern shore had kindled a fire which seemed 
to be flying across the prairies. Great clouds 
of smoke rolled northeastward, and almost 
obscured the sun which showed dimly through 
them like a ball of fire. 

“Will, hitch the bay team to the wagon. 
Some of the rest of you, throw in those two 
breaking plows and get those sacks out of the 
east granary. We’ll need your team, Tom. 
We must save those stacks if possible. We 


WEALTH HAS WINGS. 


81 


must at least stop the fire on the line below, or 
everything here will go,” cried Mr. Carter. 

His orders were hardly given till they were 
carried out, and in another moment the men 
were in the wagon and the horses dashed 
away. Will was the only one of the party 
that had never seen or battled with a prairie 
fire, and was much excited accordingly. 

The party hastened to reach the corner 
southwest of the section on which the hay- 
stacks stood. The plows were hastily dragged 
from the wagon, a team hitched to each, and 
starting from the corner, a furrow was plowed 
north and one east. This was a hard task for 
both horses and men. The ground was so dry 
and hard that it was almost impossible to keep 
the plows in it so as to make the furrow from 
which to start the back-fire ; but it was ac- 
complished after a fashion. The fire was 
started on the outside of these furrows and 
trailed along by bunches of grass until it 
formed a continuous line. The tiny tongues 
of flame which crept across the imperfect 
barriers were beaten out with the sacks. 

Slowly the little black line of defence 
widened. If it did not prove sufficient to 
turn the fire, not only the haystacks would be 
burned, but the flames would sweep across the 
dry prairie and endanger the house and barns 


82 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


upon the hill. The men worked rapidly and 
desperately. The great fire drew nearer and 
nearer. They could hear the roar and crackle 
of the flames as they seized upon the dry and 
oily sunflowers and clumps of tall sage grass. 
The wind came to them stifling with smoke 
and hot as a blast from an oven. Numbers of 
jack-rabbits, driven from their accustomed 
haunts, came leaping across the prairie ; 
bevies of prairie chickens and quail flew 
whirring by ; several huge rattlesnakes and 
blue racers darted through the narrow back- 
fire, and sought refuge under the haystacks. 

Suddenly the back-fire sent up leaping 
tongues of flames, and began to fly forward 
to meet its huge adversary, much as bits of 
steel are drawn to a magnet. On came the 
fire, a roaring, surging, seething billow of 
flame that broke over the little blackened 
beach of burned prairie and reached out for 
the dry grass beyond. Then came the hardest 
work for the men, watching for every spark 
that crossed the barrier, and beating out the 
flames that sprang up in many places on the 
side toward the stacks. Fortunately for them, 
there were no tumbleweeds in the prairie 
near them, or their task would have been 
hopeless. The great balls of fire would have 
carried the flames by them in spite of every 


WEALTH HAS WINGS, 


83 


effort. At last the baffled fire dre\Y back, 
swept around and on, and the haystacks were 
safe. The broad stretches of plowing soon 
checked the fire to the north and west; but it 
swept for a long distance to the east before it 
met bare fields that stopped its progress. 
Numbers of men were working all along the 
line, striving to save the homes and other 
property of their neighbors. In spite of all 
efforts, mflch was destroyed before the devour- 
ing element was stayed ; and the sun had sunk 
in the west before the men dared return to 
their homes. 

It was an exhausted set of fellows that 
tramped into Mr. Carter's home that evening. 
Their eyes were red and swollen with smoke, 
their faces grimy with cinders, and two who 
had been in the hottest of the fight, had their 
mustaches and eyebrows scorched. How 
hungry they Avere ! They had eaten an early 
breakfast, and had only barely tasted their 
dinner when the alarm of fire called them 
away. So they were ready to do ample 
justice to the smoking, hot supper they found 
awaiting them. Of course the fire Avas the one 
subject of conversation. 

“ How in the Avorld did all those men get 
there in time?” Mr. Carter asked. ‘‘Wq 
could never have held the fire back if they 


84 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


had not come to our assistance just when they 
did.’’ 

I knew there was a threshing crew at Mr. 
Brown’s and another on the Mason ranch, so I 
saddled Gipsy and went to both places. It 
didn’t take long for them to quit work and 
start when I told them where the fire was. 
They had seen the smoke, but they thought it 
was still across the river and that this side was 
safe,” Bessie answered. • 

‘‘ I should think they would come quick,” 
remarked Tom. Three of them live down 
there in the bottom, and everything they had 
was, at stake. It’s a good thing you thought 
to go after them, Bessie.” 

As for Will, he was so weary and excited he 
could hardly eat. The afternoon’s experience 
had been one that he could never forget. 
Never in all his life had he witnessed such a 
wild and terrifying thing as the swift advance 
of that furious fire. He had learned another 
thing — the suddenness with which the savings 
and work of years might be swept away. He 
looked at his uncle’s great barns and well-filled 
granaries, his beautiful home with all its sur- 
rounding improvements, and realized how 
nearly the carelessness of some one else had 
come to snatching away what had taken years 
to accumulate. 


WEALTH HAS WINGS, 


85 


After several days’ inquiry it was learned 
that the fire had been started by a lighted cigar 
stub, which a young fellow had carelessly 
thrown down in the grass beside the road. 
From that spark had started the flames, which 
swept away several homes and rendered two 
families penniless. 

A liberal contribution of money, clothing 
and household stores was raised by the neigh- 
borhood for those who had lost everything in 
the fire. 

To Bessie’s great indignation Will gave as 
little as he possibly could, although the other 
men gave generously and even lavishly 

I cannot afford it,” was his feeble excuse. 
It will come back on him some day,” one 
of the men remarked. Such stinginess always 
meets its just reward.” 


CHAPTEE IX. 


THE FIRST JOURNEY. 

Late in the summer the long-looked for 
teachers’ examination was to take place. It 
was to be held in the bounty-seat, ten miles 
from the home of the Carters, and the journey 
seemed a wonderful one to Jane. Mr. James 
had arranged to take her to Vernon, and help 
her as far as possible in her great undertaking. 
Katie was to go, too, as company for her sis- 
ter, and the two girls were in a perfect flutter 
of excitement. They had never been farther 
from home than the river Landing — flve miles 
away — therefore the journey before them was 
the event of their lives. It was as great an 
undertaking for them as crossing the conti- 
nent or the ocean would be for others. All 
summer long they talked about the expected 
trip, and worked to raise the necessary money. 
Xew calico dresses must be bought and money 
provided to pay for stationery and the exam- 
iner’s fee. So the girls gathered blackberries 
and ginseng roots, which they sold to the ped- 
dler who came from the Landing once a week. 

86 


THE FIRST JOURNEY, 


87 


Their mother helped them a little with part of 
her egg and butter money, and the proceeds 
from the sale of a flock of Jane’s spring chick- 
ens raised the necessary amount. 

One Thursday evening, in August, Mr. 
James arrived in a two-seated, two-horse 
spring wagon, and early the next morning 
the trio started on their journey. 

The two girls felt quite fine in their new, 
dark calico dresses. Their heavy shoes had 
been carefully blackened, and their plain straw 
hats had been decorated by a new ribbon 
apiece — the gifts of the kindly old peddler. 

They had never been quite so well-dressed 
before, and, as Mr. and Mrs. Carter and Susie 
looked after them, the father said, “ Them gals 
is fine as a fiddle. I’ll be bound there won’t 
be any stylisher ones at the examination. I 
hope their new clo’es won’t turn their heads 
and be the spilin’ of them.” 

The first three miles of the way were famil- 
iar to the young travelers ; then they turned 
off into a strange road that led away through 
the labyrinth of the forest. JSTow and then 
they passed near a house — always built of logs 
and covered with clapboard shingles. There 
was a small clearing about each one in which 
was a garden and a little orchard. A half- 
dozen dogs barked inhospitably inside the rail 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


fences, and the “ women-folks ” and children 
rushed to the doors and windows to gaze at 
the infrequent diversion of “ somebody goin’ 
by.” 

After a time the ‘‘knobs” were reached. 
The girls were glad to get out of the wagon 
and rest themselves by walking up the mile of 
steep grade. A sudden turn in the road at 
the top of the hill revealed a scene of beauty 
that caused them both to cry out in wonder 
and admiration. At their feet lay a long, nar- 
row valley, bounded by steep hills. Through 
its centre ran the river, sparkling, smiling, 
winding its way in many a broad curve ; and 
far in the distance could be seen the spires 
and roofs of Vernon — the county-town — and 
the destination of the young travelers. 

Kate seized her sister’s arm in a perfect 
ecstasy of delight. 

“How big it is ! How far we can see ! O 
Jane, isn’t it wonderful? Look at the fields 
way doAvn yonder. They look like a patch- 
Avork quilt. And the riA^er is a million times 
as big as our spring. O Janie, I didn’t knoAV 
things could look like this ! ” 

Mr. James smiled at the child’s rapture, and 
Avaited till the two girls had gazed until they 
Avere satisfied. Then they resumed their seats 
in the Avagon, and began the descent of the 


THE FIRST JOURNEY. 


89 


long hill. The road was narrow and rocky, 
and much skill had to be exercised by the 
driver to avoid the stumps that thickly dotted 
the track. At the base of the young moun- 
tain a smoother road was reached, and the 
horses trotted rapidly along the track which 
part of the way led within a few feet of the 
river bank. A great steamer suddenly came 
gliding around a bend, and the girls had their 
first view of another object of wonder and 
awe. It seemed to fairly fly past them, the 
heavy smoke rolling from its tail chimneys, 
the steam hissing through its pipes and the 
great wheels churning the foaming water. 
The wonder of the young travelers was too 
great for words. They sat in silence, fairly 
trembling with excitement. Already they had 
seen marvels that surpassed their wildest ex- 
pectations, and that were almost too great for 
comprehension. 

By the time they had passed through the 
busy streets of the town, and reached Mr. 
James’ home, they were so dazed that they 
could hardly speak even to one another. They 
had been set down in a new world. The peo- 
ple about them belonged to a different race. 
Their dress, their appearance, their very move- 
ments were unlike those of the dwellers in the 
backwoods. V ehicles dashed about the street in 


90 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


a perfectly reckless fashion, and people rushed 
along as if their lives depended on getting over 
the ground as swiftly as possible. This was 
the impression made on the two girls by what 
they saw about them in the same town which 
their uncle a year previous had said was ‘‘ the 
slowest, old-fogiest, most rat-eaten town he 
had seen for ages.” Thus differently do our 
familiar surroundings make unfamiliar places 
appear to our judgment. 

The sisters of Mr. James were watching 
eagerly for the advent of their country visi- 
tors. There were three of the James girls, 
Cora being a young lady of twenty, Clara, 
about the same age as Jane, and Eva, a little 
miss of twelve years. Their brother had de- 
scribed Jane and Kate Carter to them so 
many times that they were quite sure they 
were thoroughly prepared for any degree 
of rusticity in the girls who were to spend 
two days in their home; but as soon as they 
beheld their visitors, they realized that their 
ideas had widely missed the mark. There was 
an instant of amused hesitation when they 
saw the strangers alight at their gate ; then 
true Christian courtesy caused them to put 
away all such unkindness and hasten to greet 
their guests with cordiality. 

The room into which Jane and Kate were 


THE FIRST JOURNEY. 


91 


ushered was a marvel of elegance in their 
eyes. To the citizens of Vernon it appeared 
only as the cheery, well-furnished sitting-room 
of an educated family of moderate means; but 
these girls had come from a home where the 
best room ” floor was covered with rag-car- 
pet, the windows shaded with blue paper 
shades, the walls and ceilings whitewashed and 
the furniture of the old-fashioned splint-bot- 
tom ” variety. To them ingrain carpets, lace 
curtains, dainty wall paper and modern furni- 
ture were the furnishing of a veritable Alad- 
din’s palace. 

They were ill-at-ease, nervous and homesick 
in an instant. Their dark calicoes and heavy 
shoes had appeared very fine until they saw 
them beside the light lawns and slippers of 
their hostesses. This was a phase of the world 
upon which they had not reckoned. They 
knew so little that it had never entered their 
heads that they might not be like the people 
whom they were going to meet. This dis- 
covery is always fatal to one’s ease and hap- 
piness, and it was painfully so in this case. 
The girls had not been in this strange house 
five minutes until they were longing ardently 
for their backwoods solitudes. Katie was al- 
most crying from fright and weariness, and 
Jane only kept her self-possession because of 


92 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


the necessity of doing so on her sister’s ac- 
count. 

The James girls were troubled by the un- 
pleasant situation, but knew not how to re- 
lieve it until their mother suggested that Clara 
should show the guests up to the room they 
were to occupy, and give them a chance to 
rest themselves and bathe off the dust of 
travel. 

As soon as they were left alone Katie threw 
herself into Jane’s arms with a great sob of 
homesickness. 

“ O Janie ! O Janie ! I want to go home ! ” 
she wailed. 

Hush, dear,” the elder sister said, while 
tears streamed from her own eyes. “We 
can’t go home to-night, so we must stand it 
the best we can. It won’t be very long till 
Monday.” 

“ Oh, yes, it will,” sobbed Katie. “ And it’s 
so terribly far away. How can we ever get 
back ? O Janie, I canH stay here.” 

Jane soothed her as much as she could, and 
the two wept together until the first strain 
of their weariness and excitement was over. 
Then Jane said : 

“Now, Katie, we must stop this nonsense 
and try to act right. Mr. James has been to 
a great deal of trouble to bring us here so as 


THE FIRST JOURNEY. 


93 


to help me get ready to teach, and we must 
not make him feel ashamed of us. His folks 
want to be kind to us, and we must be kind 
to them by showing that we appreciate what 
they do. Maybe we won’t feel so lonesome 
if we’ll try not to think about home at all, 
but just try to see how many new things we 
can find. I’ll keep count and you keep count ; 
and when we go to bed to-night we’ll tell one 
another about it, and each say what was the 
strangest thing we saw. Will you ? We want 
to see and learn all we can, for there is no tell- 
ing whether we ever will have such a chance 
again. Let’s try to forget all about ourselves, 
and study everybody and everything we see. 
It will be a real play, and interesting too. 
Don’t you think so ? Now, let’s see how many 
new things we can count in this room while 
we wash our faces and comb our hair.” 

Katie’s mind was diverted by this very sen- 
sible advice, and she eagerly began counting 
the toilet accessories and dainty furnishings of 
Mrs. James’ guest room. 

By the time Clara and Eva tapped at the 
door Jane and Katie were much more at ease, 
and more ready to respond to the kind ad- 
vances of their entertainers. 

As the evening went by they found it hard 
to keep back thoughts of home and of them- 


94 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


selves, for they were confronted by such 
strange customs and so many unlieard-of 
things that they constantly felt their awk- 
wardness. The appointments of this home, 
the table service, even the food, were so very 
different from that of their home that they 
were kept in a perfect quiver of embarrass- 
ment. Their kind entertainers did everything 
in their power to make them feel more at 
home and put them at their ease. After tea 
the brother proposed a stroll through the 
town, and the four girls readily acceded. Eva 
took Katie in charge, and Clara and Mr. 
James walked with Jane, pointing out and 
explaining the various objects which they 
thought might interest her. The gas-lit 
streets, the bright shop windows, the num- 
bers of people whom they met all excited the 
girls’ wonder. 

‘‘I don’t see how you ever find your way 
home,” Katie said to Eva, who laughed mer- 
rily and replied : 

“ It is easy enough because I am used to 
living in town. I expect I would be fright- 
ened most out of my senses if I had to walk 
through your woods, and I’d be sure to get 
lost. Aren’t you afraid of panthers and such 
things ? ” 

“ Why no ! ” exclaimed Katie in surprise. 


THE FIRST JOURNEY. 


95 


‘‘ There ain’t any. There’s nothing but rab- 
bits and screechowls and snakes — there’s a 
good many of them.” 

Snakes ! Ugh ! They’d be worse than 
panthers. Don’t they nearly scare you to 
death ? What do you do Avhen you see one ? ” 

“ Kill it, of course — if it don’t get away too 
quick. Ko, I’m not afraid of ’em. There 
ain’t any poison ones but the vipers, and they 
won’t fight unless j^ou make ’em. I’ve killed 
lots of snakes.” 

You must be very brave,” said Eva, with 
a note of wonder and respect in her voice. 
“ Most girls would scream and run away.” 

“Country girls don’t, because they’re used 
to ’em,” Katie replied. She felt considerably 
better. At last she had found a point where 
she could claim superiority over this town girl. 
The bravery all vanished, however, when the 
party visited the railway station, and the can- 
non-ball express came thundering by. Her 
terror and Jane’s was extreme, and they trem- 
bled long after the iron monster had rushed 
out of sight. This crowning wonder closed 
their day. 

They were glad when bedtime brought an 
end to all the excitement and fatigue, and 
even home was forgotten in heavy slumbers. 


CHAPTEE X. 


‘‘the wisdom from above.” 

The next day at the appointed hour Mr. 
James escorted Jane and Katie to the place 
where the all-important examination was to be 
held. He saw that his pupil had all necessary 
articles of stationery, and gave her much good 
advice and many words of encouragement, that 
helped to quiet her fluttering nerves. He in- 
troduced her to the examiners, and privately 
begged them to assist her in every possible 
way, as she was unacquainted with the rules 
and customs of county examinations. Having 
thus done all that lay in his power, he assured 
the girls that his sisters would call for them at 
noon and show them the way home — thus re- 
lieving them of their last anxiety. 

Then Jane set industriously to work. She 
followed her teacher’s advice to “ Take the 
questions as they come. Do not puzzle and 
worry yourself over what lies ahead. If you 
do, you will get nothing clear. If you find you 
cannot answer a question, then it will be time 
enough to go on to the next. One question 
96 


THE WISDOM FROM ABOVE. 


97 


at a time — that is the way all life questions 
come to us, and we only lose time if we worry 
over the ones beyond, while trying to answer 
the one in hand.” 

Eva and Clara had tried to persuade Katie 
to stay with them while Jane attended the ex- 
amination ; but tlie child shook her head nerv- 
ously at the very idea of being separated from 
her sister, so the girls did not insist. 

Now, she sat silently by Jane’s side, watch- 
ing her sister’s pencil fly over the paper, or 
looking sympathetically at her if she saw Jane 
was puzzled over a question. 

Or, she gazed wonderingly about the school- 
room, with its patent desks, improved black- 
boards, and curtained windows. It was very 
unlike the one in District No. 10, and she 
thought it would be delightful to study in such 
a big, light, airy room as this. She was sure 
that she would have good lessons every day, 
and never want to miss an hour of such de- 
lightful opportunities for study. Some day, 
when she was grown up and had learned 
everything there was in the world to learn, 
she would teach school in just such a room as 
this. And she would have ever so much 
money, and wear beautiful dresses and slippers 
like Miss Cora James, and plaj^ the piano and 
paint pictures like she did. And she would be 


98 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


used to town, and go everywhere all by her- 
self ; and when she went along the street, peo- 
ple would say, There goes Katie Carter. 
8he knows everything there is in the world to 
learn.” 

With such dreams as these the little girl 
passed her time until Eva’s bright face ap- 
peared at the schoolroom door just as the clock 
pointed to twelve. She found quite a good 
deal to talk about to Eva as they walked 
homeward; whUe Jane walked almost silently 
beside them. 

Mr. James questioned Jane in regard to her 
examinations, and encouraged her wonderfully 
by telling her that he believed she had an- 
swered enough questions to pass her creditably 
in the branches gone over. Katie felt so much 
more at home than she had done in the morn- 
ing that Eva did not have much trouble in per- 
suading her to stay with her that afternoon; 
and Jane had grown independent enough to 
find her way back to the schoolhouse alone. 

When the day was over and her last paper 
handed in, she felt as if she were a different 
girl from the one who had entered the room 
that morning. The dreaded examination was 
over, and had not proved so very hard after 
all. She stepped briskly along the sidewalk, 
and felt as if she had certainly grown several 


THE WISD03I FE03I ABOVE, 


99 


inches. She had done a good thing, and done 
it well. Then she remembered Mrs. David- 
son’s quotation ; The reward of a thing well 
done, is to have done it.” 

“ I believe that is true,” she murmured. I 
am sure of that much of a reward, even if I 
don’t get a school.” 

The next day was the Sabbath. The James 
girls held a little consultation in their room 
that morning in regard to their visitors. 

‘‘ O girls,” cried Clara. ‘‘ Have we got to 
take them to church in those ugly dresses and 
hats, and those big, clumsy shoes ? Can’t we 
lend them some of our things so they will look 
more like other people ? ” 

‘^Ho,” Cora answered, thoughtfully. ‘‘It 
would not do. They would only feel more 
awkward and embarrassed. It would be a con- 
fession on your part that you were ashamed of 
them, and they would rightly resent it. Can 
you not rise superior to clothes, Clara ? ” 

“ I might, but other people won’t,” an- 
swered Clara. 

“Then rise superior to other people, as 
well,” returned Cora. 

“Mamma says this visit is a Christian En- 
deavor which the Lord has sent to us. She 
said the right thing for us to do, was to try to 
imagine ourselves the Carter girls, and then 

L.ofC. 


100 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


treat them as we would want to be treated. I 
believe I’d rather wear my own clothes — even 
if they were ugly — than to have somebody 
dress me in her old ones. And I believe I 
wouldn’t want the folks I was visiting to dress 
up in their new mull dresses to walk along 
side of me, either,” cried Eva. Cora and Clara 
flushed, and looked at one another doubtfully. 

They realized all at once how much their 
hearts were set on the dainty dresses that had 
only been finished that week, and that looked 
so cool and inviting as they lay spread care- 
fully upon the bed. They stood in silence for 
a moment or two, then Cora walked quietly to 
the bed, took up her dress and put it away. 

“ O Cora ! ” Clara cried, with tears in her 
eyes. ‘‘ I do want to wear mine ; and the old 
lawn doesn’t look a bit nice any more.” 

“Is it too much to give up for Jesus’ sake?” 
asked Cora. 

“I’ll wear the old one,” answered Clara, 
after a moment’s hesitation. It was a real 
trial to this young girl to forego the pleasure 
of a dainty and pretty costume. She was at 
the age when girls begin to be fond of such 
things, and to desire to dress like their com- 
panions. So it took a real Christian spirit to 
enable her to overcome the temptation to 
please herself rather than others. 


^^THE WISD03I FROM ABOVE, 


101 


These three girls were Christian Endeavor- 
ers — faithful and earnest and true. They 
were striving to put aside all feeling of amuse- 
ment at the uncouth dress and manners of 
their visitors, and look upon them as Chris- 
tians should ever do toward those whom they 
can help. Their mother understood, and 
looked her approval when they came dovyn- 
stairs arrayed in their old dresses ; and their 
hearts were light — not merely because of her 
commendation, but because they felt that they 
had denied themselves for Jesus’ sake. 

That Sabbath was a revelation to J ane and 
Kate. The Sunday-school and church serv- 
ices were so impressive, and the house of God 
where people walked with quiet tread and 
reverent silence seemed so holy. , They were 
accustomed to the bare floors of their home 
church, where heavy shoes made resounding 
clatter; and to noisy greetings and hearty 
laughter as the people ‘Wisited” after the 
services were over. Here, there were soft 
carpets upon the floors, the light stole in 
through richly stained windows, the air was 
redolent with perfume, and beautiful flowers 
added to the attractiveness of the place. 

O Jane,” Katie whispered, if I lived here, 
I’d come to church every day.” 

But the strangest service of all was the 


102 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


Christian Endeavor meeting to which their 
new friends took them that evening. They 
had been in very few prayer-meetings in their 
lives, and these had been conducted hy the 
minister and old grey-lieaded men. They 
looked about them in surprise, for here were 
only young people like themselves. A boy 
about sixteen years of age was leader of the 
meeting, and he performed his part in such a 
way as proved it was no uncommon thing for 
him to do. But that was only a beginning of 
wonders. As one member after another arose 
to speak, to pray, to recite some Scripture pas- 
sage, the visitors were amazed to see that the 
girls, as well as young men and boys, took . 
their share in the services. 

It so happened that the subject for the even- 
ing was “ True Wisdom,” and the Scripture 
passages recited were all in regard to it. 

If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of 
God who giveth to all men liberally and up- 
braideth not, and it shall be given him.” 

The wisdom that cometh down from above 
is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy 
to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, 
without partiality and without hypocrisy.” 

These were but a sample of the texts that 
were rapidly repeated that evening ; and the 
‘‘bow drawn at a venture” shot its arrows 


^^THE WISDOM FROM ABOVE, 


103 


deep into one heart in that little congrega- 
tion. 

Wisdom was Jane Carter’s one desire. She 
suddenly realized that there was a source of 
wisdom which she had not known, and a kind 
which was held to be “ far above rubies,” and 
the desire to obtain this superior wisdom was 
born in her heart that Sabbath evening. 

The next day the two visitors were to re- 
turn to their home, Clara and Eva begged 
their brother to allow them to accompany him 
on the trip, and, when he found that Jane and 
Kate were quite as eager to have them go, he 
gave his consent. So it was a very merry 
party that drove away from Vernon the next 
morning. 

Clara and Eva were surprised at the change 
that came over the Carter girls as soon as 
town was fairly left behind and they found 
themselves upon the country roads. As the 
dense forest closed behind them the town girls 
felt as if civilization was cut off. Would they 
ever find their way out of these silent soli- 
tudes? But Jane and Kate were once more 
in their own element. They took delight in 
teaching Clara and Eva to distinguish the 
different kinds of trees, vines and bushes which 
they passed. They recognized the various 
birds b}^ their notes, although the songsters 


104 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


were hidden amid the trees ; and the town 
girls learned that there was a knowledge they 
might acquire from their country sisters. 

The whole ten miles were passed without 
meeting any one on the road, and it Avas late in 
the afternoon Avhen the party arrived at the 
Carter home. There Clara and Eva found 
things as strange as their own home had ap- 
peared to Jane and Kate. 

While their brother talked with Mr. and 
Mrs. Carter, the girls accompanied their host- 
esses to see the various things of interest to 
them. Jane’s stumps were duly admired, and 
Jane shyly told the story of their transforma- 
tion and the lesson which Mrs. Davidson had 
applied to them. 

That is beautiful,” exclaimed Clara. It 
Avas Avorth coming all the Avay doAvn here just 
to see them and learn that lesson. There are 
some stumps in my life that maybe I can 
change to things of beauty.” Jane looked at 
her incredulously. 

I thought you had everything,” she said, 
simply. 

“ Oh no,” replied Clara. Don’t you know 
the more one has the more she Avants ? Some- 
times I get real impatient because I cannot 
have Avhat I think I Avould like, and sometimes 
I want to do things that are denied me. Koav 


THE WISD03I FROM ABOVE:^ 


105 


I know what to do with my ugly ‘stumps.’ 
I’m glad I came down here, and I’m glad you 
told me all about them.” 

The girls rambled all about the place. They 
visited the wonderful big spring, they went 
Avith Katie and Susie to hunt eggs in the barn, 
they watched Jane milk the cows. When 
bedtime came they ivere ready to sink down 
into the great feather-bed, and dream over the 
events of their “ wonderful day.” 

When they reached home the next evening 
they had quite as much to tell their parents 
and Cora, as Jane and Kate had to recount of 
the wonders of the town. They also had the 
joy of knowing that they had acted with true 
Christian courtesy toward their backwoods 
visitors, and had succeeded in making their 
trip both pleasant and profitable. They had 
overcome their own pride and unkind sense of 
amusement, and come off conquerors over their 
own spirits. 

As for Jane and Kate, life ivas all changed 
for them. Tliey had caught a glimpse of the 
outside world. They had learned that it held 
possibilities of which they had never dreamed. 
They could never again settle down into the 
old, unreasoning rut of entire satisfaction Avith 
things as they Avere. They had discovered 
many things about their home and about 


106 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


themselves which were in their power to im- 
prove. and many others toward which they 
might work. This visit was one of the mile- 
stones of their history. 


CHAPTER XL 


IlSr DEESTKICT NO. 12 .” 

In due time the important teacher’s certifi- 
cate was received, and Jane’s heart beat high 
with joy and pride. After it had been ad- 
mired and exclaimed over by the family, she 
put it carefully away ; but many times in a 
day she slipped away to her room to examine 
it secretly and rejoice in its possession. She 
would carefully smooth out its folds and read 
over the grades with pardonable pride. It 
was the measure of her success, the proof of 
her ability, the reward of her patient toil. 
Thus far she had conquered the world. 

Now, like Alexander the Great, she looked 
for new fields of effort. Without delay she 
set about securing a school to teach. Several 
places were tried in vain. Either she was too 
late in applying, or her youth and inexperience 
were against her. She almost began to de- 
spair and to lose faith in the magical influence 
of her certificate. Then she found a school in 
a neighboring district which had either been 
overlooked, or had proved undesirable to her 

107 


108 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


fellow-applicants. Two of the directors took 
but little interest in the subject of hiring a 
teacher, and referred her to the third, saying, 

“ It’ll be jest as Watkins says. He’s got the 
most young uns, an’ takes the most int’rust 
in the school.” 

So to ‘‘Watkins” she went. He was nail- 
ing up his hogpen, and hardly seemed to hear 
her modest request in regard to the school 
until he removed the last nail from his mouth 
and drove it tightly into the place. Then he 
straightened up and looked at her from under 
his eyebrows. 

“ Hain’t you pretty middlin’ young to be 
a-teachin’ school ? ” he asked, severely. 

“ I’ll be seventeen this month,” faltered Jane. 

“ S’pose you know enough to teach the 
young uns of this deestrict ? ” was the next 
question. 

“ I think I do. Here is my certificate,” an- 
swered Jane, holding out the document. He 
took it and looked it over critically, although, 
if he had confessed the truth, he could not read 
the half of it, and knew nothing whatever of 
“ per cents.” and “ general averages.” 

“ Bin plum through the ’rithmetic ? ” he 
asked, presently. 

“Yes, several times.” 

“ An’ the spellin’ book an’ jogerphy ? ” 


IN ^^DEESTRICT NO. 12 . 


109 


Yes,” she answered. 

“ S’pose you could whip the big boys ef they 
got too pestiferous ? ” 

they weren’t too big,” answered Jane, 
doubtfully. 

“ Wa-al, you’ve got red hair, so I ’low you’ve 
got spunk enough. It don’t do to be too easy 
on youngsters. That wasn’t the way I was 
brung up, an’ it hain’t the way I mean to raise 
my young uns. A good sound thrasliin’ now 
an’- then is good fer a boy. Makes him grow, 
an’ groAv straight at that. How much wages 
did you cal’late to git ? ” 

‘‘ Whatever your district is in the habit of 
paying.” 

Wa-al, we give the last teacher forty dol- 
lars, but he didn’t earn the half of it. Went 
to sleep mighty nigh ever’ day after dinner, 
an’ let the young uns do ’bout as they pleased. 
Bein’ as you’re so young an’ hain’t never 
taught any, I don’t know as w^e could give you 
so much. I ’low we might give you about 
thirty-five dollars a month. That ’ud be big 
wages fer a strip of a gal like you. Ef you’ll 
be satisfied with that, you kin have the school. 
It’s to begin the first of October, an’ run six 
months. We don’t ’low to give no week’s 
holiday at Christmas, like the teacher did last 
year. It runs the school over into plowin’ 


110 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


time, an’ we want the young uns to work 
then. Yes, you kin have the place.” 

Jane thanked him, and turned away toward 
her home. She hardly knew whether she was 
more happy or afraid. She realized all at 
once that there was an unpleasant side to the 
work ahead of her, and that this director of 
hers was more apt to be pestiferous ” than 
the big boys of whom he had warned her. 
She almost wished that he had refused to give 
her the place. 

Then came the soothing thought of the 
thirty-five dollars a month — two hundred and 
ten dollars for the year ! she told herself joy- 
ously. It was more money than she had ever 
seen, far more than she had ever thought to 
possess, and she at once began to plan what 
she could purchase with it. Visions of lawn 
dresses and slippers, cushioned rockers and 
lace curtains floated through her brain. There 
must be a new porch built, and a fence around 
the yard — a paling fence, to keep the chickens 
away from her flower-beds. And maybe some 
blissful day there would be an organ in the 
“ best room,” and she and Katie could learn to 
play it. Such thoughts as these banished the 
dread of big boys” and ‘‘Watkins,” and 
winged her feet as she walked swiftly home- 
ward with her good tidings. 


IN DEESTEICT NO. 12 .’' 


Ill 


The days fairly flew by, and October 
dawned fair and promising. With much 
shrinking of heart, Jane walked into the little 
schoolhouse of District No. 12,” and en- 
countered the curious stares of the dozen chil- 
dren gathered there. 

She was a little nonplussed over how to 
open the school. Mr. James had always read 
a passage of Scripture and offered a short 
prayer; but Jane had never prayed, even in 
secret, and could not remember a form of 
prayer to use on such an occasion as this. So 
she merely rapped for order, requested the pu- 
pils to take their seats, and gave them a task 
to write on their slates while she took their 
names and arranged her classes. This was a 
new method of procedure with the children of 
District No. 12, and they went silently to 
Avork. 

Suddenly Director Watkins appeared in the 
doorway. He noted approvingly that every 
one was busy, and that the silence Avas broken 
only by the tap of pencils. 

“ Got ’em to work a-ready, have you ? ” said 
his loud voice. “ That’s right. Don’t let ’em 
do no playin’. ’Tain’t what they’re here for. 
Thrash ’em good ef they don’t mind you. An’ 
give ’em plenty of spellin’ book. That’s the 
thing to bring ’em up on. I jest hauled over 


112 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


a load of wood. It’s gittin’ middlin’ cold these 
mornin’s, an’ I ’lowed there’d be need of a fire. 
Now, young uns, mind yore teacher an’ git 
yore lessons. Ef you need help any time, 
Miss Carter, jest let me know.” 

Then he vanished, and was soon heard 
throwing his load of wood into the little shed 
at the back of the schoolhouse ; but someway 
Jane’s fear of him had gone. She began to 
feel that perhaps he would not be ‘‘ pestifer- 
ous ” if she did her duty^ and that she de- 
termined to do. 

She was glad when the long day was over 
and the pupils dismissed. She swept the 
schoolroom, arranged her desk, brought in 
wood and kindlings to start her morning fire, 
then closed the schoolroom door behind her, 
and turned toward home. 

The schoolhouse of District No. 12 stood 
on the brow of a hill that sloped steeply to a 
little creek known as Dry Branch. This creek 
was so called because its bed was usually dry ; 
but sudden freshets often swelled it to impos- 
ing proportions — as a high foot-log across it 
proved. Heavy timber covered the hills on 
either side of the stream, and no sign of hu- 
man habitation could be seen from the school- 
house, except a rail fence that crossed the hill 
a rod or two above the building. It w^as as 


IN DEESTRICT NO. 12. ’» 


113 


utterly lonely as any place could be, and Jane 
turned gladly from it to walk through the sol- 
itary woods two miles to her home. 

The winter wore slovfly by, and the school 
made satisfactory progress. There were days 
when not only the big boys, but the whole 
school as well, were inclined to be unruly ; 
days when the inexperienced young teacher 
hardly knew which way to turn ; days when 
Mr. Watkins was crabbed and fault-finding 
and the whole educational system seemed out 
of gear. But these daj^s were comparatively 
few. There were times when Jane’s hot tem- 
per fiashed out, and she felt like thrashing ” 
the whole school. She found that her brother 
had spoken truly when he said, You get mad 
too easy to teach school.” She learned that 
she could not allow her temper to run riot 
here as she had been accustomed to do at 
home. She had to control her tongue and re- 
strain her passion. Sometimes when she did 
forget, and scolded vigorously over some 
trivial fault, her pupils looked at her in such 
open-eyed amazement that she was ashamed of 
herself. Such humiliation was good for her, 
although it was far from pleasant, and she did 
not recognize its value at the time. Still, as 
the weeks passed on, she realized that she was 
gaining control over herself, and the knowl- 


114 


FOUR ROADS TO HARFINESS, 


edge made her stronger to withstand the fiery 
assaults of her evil disposition. This was part 
of the wages” not included in the thirty-five 
dollars a month which Mr. Watkins had prom- 
ised her ; and although it was not reckoned in 
dollars and cents, it brought its reward in an 
approving conscience at the time, and formed 
a stepping-stone toward the greater things 
promised ‘‘ to him that overcometh.” 

Meanwhile, Katie was following earnestly 
in her elder sister’s footsteps. Jane was her 
ideal of what a girl should be. She acknowl- 
edged that in dress and elegance of manners 
the James girls ivere her sister’s superiors : 
“ But then they ain’t half so smart,” she told 
herself. “ They can play the piano and paint 
pictures, but they don’t know enough to teach 
school and Jane does. An’ some day I’m go- 
ing to be smarter too, and I’ll play the piano 
and paint pictures beside. An’ I’ll make 
money like Jane does, an’ have lots of things. 
I won’t give pap any to buy tobacco with, 
like Jane does. I do think she hadn’t ought 
to — only pap is cross when he’s out of to- 
bacco. Still I’d hate to see him burn my 
money in his pipe, and spit it away, after I’d 
worked as hard as she does to get it.” 

As for Susie, she lived the indolent, selfish 
life in which she found her highest pleasure. 


IN ^^DEESTRICT NO. 12. 


115 


She went to school when she was tired of 
staying at home; she stayed at home when 
she was tired of going to school. Being the 
“ baby ” of the family, she was allowed to do 
just as she pleased, and she always ‘‘pleased ” 
to please herself. There was only one time 
of the year when she showed any special in- 
dustry, and that was in the nutting season. 
She knevY where the sweetest hickory nuts, 
the biggest hazels, the fattest chestnuts grew 
and she and the squirrels vied with one an- 
other in laying up their winter stores. Unlike 
her two sisters, she was always good-natured. 
“It was too much trouble to fuss,” and, as 
their interests did not lie in the same direc- 
tion, their opinions rarely ever clashed. She 
was her father’s especial pet, and as he watched 
her easy-going ways he would smile and say, 
“ She’s a regular Carter, she is.” 


CHAPTER XIL 

ASPIRATIONS. 

Jane was walking leisurely home from 
school one March day. It liad been a very 
pleasant day. There was a breath of spring 
in the air, and the birds were calling joyously 
in the trees. Some early ferns were peeping 
from beneath the sunny side of a log, the buds 
on the maples were swelling, and grass was 
springing up in the fence corners. Jane felt 
very happy. Her school was drawing toward 
its close, and she felt that it had been a suc- 
cessful winter both for her pupils and herself. 
Even Mr. Watkins had seemed satisfied, and 
she began to hope that perhaps he would be 
willing to grant her the place for another 
winter, and perhaps increase her wages. The 
five dollars extra per month would go a long 
way toward swelling her savings, and would 
shorten the time which must elapse before she 
reached the goal toward which slie was striv- 
ing. For she had found a new aim for her 
ambition, and was straining every nerve 
toward its fulfilment. 

116 


ASPIEATIOKS, 


117 


When her first three months’ salary was 
drawn she had spent the most of it for com- 
forts for the famil}^, and in making some of 
the improvements for which she had planned. 
The new porch was built, and added much to 
the respectability of the old house. The rot- 
ten rail fence was torn away, and a trim, tight 
paling fence put in its place. These things 
cost but little, as the lumber was sawed at a 
mill near by from timber cut from their own 
wood-lot. Jane had not trusted these im- 
provements to her father’s easy-going dispo- 
sition, knowing well that the work would 
linger exasperatingly if she left it for him to 
do. She hired the work done, and had the 
satisfaction of seeing it done well. 

There were some conveniences added to the 
furnishing of the house, and the family were 
better clothed than they had ever been before. 
All these things drained heavily upon her 
purse, but she did not feel sorry. There was 
little selfishness in her disposition, and she 
rejoiced in being able to thus help those 
whom she loved. Was not this the end and 
aim of her work? Was it not for this that 
she had studied ? 

But with the New Year’s number 'of the 
magazine had come a new and shining aspi- 
ration. Among the good things her magazine 


118 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


contained was an illustrated article on higher 
education for women. There were short de- 
scriptions of various colleges, and among them 
were several conducted on the Mt. Holyoke 
system — where the young ladies aided in the 
domestic work, and the tuition was accordingly 
low. The article went on to speak of the ad- 
vantage this system gave to girls of limited 
means, and mentioned the fact that in some of 
these schools a few girls each year were allowed 
to work out their entire board and tuition — 
thus reducing the cost of their educations to a 
very small sum. 

Jane’s ambitious spirit took fire at once. 
Here was her opportunity. She and Katie 
studied earnestly over the article. Then they 
carried the book to Mrs. Davidson. 

‘^Was this true? Was there such a place, 
and could girls manage to go there for the very 
small sum mentioned in the article? ” 

Yes,” she answered. It is quite true, for 
I graduated at one of these very schools. It 
is a delightful place. It is quite the equal of 
the higher-priced colleges, and its course of 
study is just as complete ; but the domestic 
arrangements reduce the expense so much 
that board and tuition are placed correspond- 
ingly low. The time for work is arranged so 
as not to conflict with stud}^, and the hour 


ASPIRATIONS, 


119 


thus spent is really a rest to the mind. By 
working four hours a day, instead of one, 
several girls managed to pay their entire way 
while I was there. They were at no expense 
except for clothing and books, and they were 
not looked down upon by the other girls. 
Indeed, we really admired them for the spirit 
they showed in thus working for an edu- 
cation.’’ 

O, Mrs. Davidson, could I go ? Do you 
suppose I could go? I never dreamed that 
there was such a chance as this. And oh, I 
do want to know all the things I could learn 
there. Do you suppose that if I save my 
money the rest of this year, and next year, I 
would have enough to go ? ' Of course I can’t 
save all of it. I have to help the folks. Bat 
if I put a little by every month, do you sup- 
pose I could save enough for books and clothes 
and to get there ? ” 

Mrs. Davidson did a little figuring, then she 
answered, 

‘‘Yes, you could do it if you saved one 
hundred dollars. I know, because that is 
what it cost me above my tuition. You would 
have no money to spare for extras, but you 
could get along respectably on that amount, 
and you surely can save that much.” Then 
followed a long conversation between Mrs. 


120 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


Davidson and Jane, while Katie was a silent 
and attentive listener. The lady gave a full 
description of the school of which she was a 
graduate. She described the arrangements for 
domestic work, and the methods by which the 
work was carried out. Full accounts were 
given of the rules of the school, the courses of 
study, the style of dress which the students 
wore, the recreations allowed and the general 
character of the school. 

The girls went home with their heads in a 
whirl. A new and delightful and altogether 
possible world had opened up before them. 
The narrow confines of their native hills 
seemed to have lifted and been set down at 
new and wider distances. Life suddenly 
meant more for them than they had ever 
dreamed. 

I am going to go. I am going to go,” 
Jane cried excitedly, as she walked rapidly 
along. 

“ I’m going, too,” answered Katie. “ I’m 
past fifteen now, and in another year I’ll be 
old enough to teach. And I’ll earn money 
too ; and if we both save, it will be enough to 
take us both. O Jane, won’t it be glorious ! 
We’ll learn so much and see so much. Oh, I 
can hardly wait. But won’t I study now ? 
Cube root won’t seem half so hard to dig out 


ASPIRATIONS, 


121 


when I know I’m digging a way to let me out 
to college.” The enthusiastic girl fairly danced 
with joy over the prospect of the education 
that was some day to be hers. 

‘‘We’ll have to do without lots of things 
that we had promised ourselves,” Jane re- 
minded her. 

“I don’t care,” she answered, cheerfully. 
“ There are better things than new dresses and 
hats, and we couldn’t wear slippers if we had 
them. You’ll have to get Susie hers, though, 
’cause you promised, you know.” 

“ Yes,” Jane answered, with a little sigh, and 
for the first time a twinge of selfishness dis- 
turbed her soul. Was not her education of 
more importance than Susie’s pleasure ? But 
she loved her little sister, and was loyal to her 
own word ; so she decided that the sacrifice 
must be made. 

All through the remainder of the winter the 
two girls worked and planned, and every dollar 
that could be spared was laid away. There 
was one drain on Jane’s resources, however, 
that tried her severely. Her father was con- 
tinually demanding money for tobacco. Jane 
had never realized how rapidly earnings melted 
away before such a demand as this. He called 
it “ borrowing,” and promised to repay her out 
of his next year’s potato crop; but Jane well 


122 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


knew that she would never see a cent of it 
again. Sometimes she grew angry, and re- 
fused to “ lend ” to him ; but he was so un- 
bearably cross when his tobacco supply gave 
out that she was glad to purchase peace for 
the family with half a dollar. Had she but 
known it, part of her earnings were going for 
a much worse thing than tobacco. 

A saloon had been opened at the Landing 
that winter, and her father had become one 
of its customers. He had never had money 
enough to go upon a very extended spree, and 
by the time he had walked or rode the five 
miles to his home the cold air had sobered him, 
so that his family little dreamed of the habit 
he had formed nor the reason why his “to- 
bacco money ” disappeared so rapidly. All 
his earnings in the cooper-shop were spent for 
the liquor poison. All that he could raise in 
any other way went to the same place. 

He grumbled over Jane’s “extravagance” 
in spending her money for “ sech fool nonsense 
as a porch an’ a palin’ fence. The old ones 
had been good enough for him, and they ought 
to be good enough for her.” The trip to town 
and her acquaintance with the James girls, he 
declared, had “plum spiled her.” 

Another evidence of her filial disrespect was 
that she put her money away into some place 


ASPIRATIONS. 


123 


known only to herself, instead of intrusting it 
to his care. 

“ He never thought a child of his ivould be 
so ongrateful to her own father,” he grumbled 
to himself. When he heard of the girls’ plan 
for a college education he was more incensed 
than ever. 

‘‘ Plum foolishness ! Plum foolishness ! Ho 
good’ll ever come of it. There hain’t no call for 
you to go traipsing off to learn things that you 
don’t need to know. An’ it’s plum selfishness 
beside. I’m surprised at you for even thinkin’ 
of takin’ the bread an’ meat from your folkses’ 
mouths to spend for a notion of your own. I 
Avon’t never consent to it, never,” he declared 
emphatically. 

He was so angry that Jane and Katie were 
frightened, and were glad to creep away to 
bed where they sobbed themselves to sleep. 

But Katie had whispered hopefully, even 
through her tears, Don’t cry so hard, Janie. 
We’ll manage it some Avay.” 

The depression caused by their father’s stern 
opposition lasted for weeks. It made Jane’s 
school duties seem heavier and Katie’s studies 
harder. The energy had been taken from 
their lives, and ambition had dwindled as their 
hopes diminished. They said nothing more 
about their plans in their father’s presence, 


124 FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 

but as time went on their spirits began to rise. 
Perhaps after awhile he would look at the 
matter differently. Perhaps his potato crop 
would be good and the price better, and he 
would not feel that the family needed so much 
of Jane’s earnings. 

As the winter weather cleared away, and 
the brightness of spring began to dawn over 
the earth, the buds of joy and hope swelled in 
the young hearts and the clouds of depression 
vanished. 

So Jane was very happy as she walked along 
the Avoodland road that pleasant March even- 
ing. There were only three weeks more of 
school. Then she would be at home. She 
and Katie had planned to make all they could 
through the summer by raising chickens, mak- 
ing butter and picking berries. They would 
have a big garden, which would make a large 
part of the family living and decrease the ex- 
pense. They hoped in this way to so work 
affairs that a major part of the last half of 
Jane’s school money might be saved. 

Jane was thinking over all these things, and 
planning eagerly for the long summer ahead, 
when she turned the corner of ‘^the little 
field ” and appeared in sight of home. Katie 
was standing at the gate, waiting for her sis- 
ter’s coming. As soon as Jane came in sight 


ASPIRA TIONS. 


125 


she ran toward her, crying aloud from fright 
and excitement. 

‘‘ What is it ? What has happened ? Hush, 
Katie ! Tell me quick.” 

Father — father is dead,” the child wailed 
in terror. ‘^He found your money and he 
took a lot and went to the Landing and got 
drunk — drunk, Janie! An’ he fell out of the 
wagon coming down Kocky Hill, an’ Mr. 
Eogers found him lying there dead. An’ they 
brought him home, an’ he’s there in the house 
now, an’ I’m afraid to go in. O Janie, I 
thought you would never come ! ” She threw 
herself into her sister’s arms in an agony of 
grief and terror. Jane was utterly overcome. 
The shock was too great for her to fathom the 
depth of her trouble all at once. She sank 
down on a bank at the side of the road, hold- 
ing Katie tightly in her arms, and strove to 
soothe the excited girl. She could not cry 
herself. She was too stunned for that. She 
only realized that something terrible had 
happened, that the awful shadow of death 
was in their home, and like Katie she feared 
to enter it. 


CHAPTEK XIIL 


THE SHADOW OF DEATH. 

The two girls sat beside the road until the 
evening shadows began to fall heavily, and the 
chill of night was encircling them. Then they 
rose, and with fear and trembling opened the 
gate and stole around to the side door of the 
basement. The room was lighted by the cheer- 
ful glow of a great log fire, and the warmth 
and brightness were very pleasant to the two 
chilled and frightened girls. For a moment 
the weight lifted from their spirits, and they 
almost imagined that they had but awakened 
from an ugly dream. 

Mrs. Carter was sitting in her big rocker be- 
fore the fire, her face buried in her hands. 
Susie lay curled upon the rug where she had 
wept herself to sleep. Mrs. Davidson and 
two of the neighbor women were busying 
themselves in preparing supper. 

The mother looked up as the door closed 
behind her two daughters, and at sight of 
Jane she broke out in a wail of grief. For a 
little while there was a wild and trying scene. 

126 


THE SHADOW OF DEATH. 


127 


The blackness of death had settled down over 
this home where there was no ray of Christian 
hope to lighten the gloom, no faith to pierce 
through the cloud of grief and reach into the 
heaven beyond, no Comforter upon whom to 
stay their souls and lay the burden of their 
aching hearts. It is to such people as the 
Carters that death comes with his wildest ter- 
rors and his heaviest grief. They knew only 
his awfulness. Death to them is not “ a 
shadow ” ; it is the blackness of eternal de- 
spair. 

It was some time before Mrs. Davidson and 
her two assistants Avere able in any wise to 
calm the widow and her two terror-stricken 
daughters. It Avas only Avhen perfectly ex- 
hausted Avith Aveeping that Jane alloAved her 
friend to lead her gently to a chair and remove 
her school wraps, Avhile the soothing voice said, 
softly : 

Why, child, your hands are like ice. You 
are chilled through. Come here by the fire 
and get thoroughly warmed. We Avill have 
some hot supper ready in a feAv minutes, and 
then you must eat.” Jane protested that she 
Avas not hungry, that she could not eat any- 
thing, but Mrs. Davidson insisted. 

“You are excited now, Janie, and do not 
realize that, after your busy day, your long 


128 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


walk through the chill air and with only a cold 
lunch at noon, you really need a hot supper. 
It will make you feel better, and you need it 
to keep up your strength.” 

So she prevailed upon the girls to eat, and 
with quiet words and ways turned their 
thoughts for a time from the grief that was 
upon them. 

Meanwhile, at Mrs. Davidson’s direction, the 
other women brought bedding from the upper 
rooms, and prepared a place where the family 
might sleep in the big basement room. 

“ Oh ! ” sighed Katie, wearily, as she noted 
their work, “ I’m so glad. I’m so tired, and I 
just couldn’t go upstairs to sleep. I don’t be- 
lieve I can ever sleep up there again. Can 
you, Janie ? ” 

I don’t know,” answered Jane, hardly hear- 
ing her sister’s question. Her eyes were fixed 
upon the fire with a heartsick, despairing 
look. Her mind seemed far removed from 
what Avas going on about her. Katie looked 
at her uneasily. 

Come, go to bed, Janie,” she said, pulling 
at her sister’s sleeve. Jane answered, 

‘‘Ko, not now, I’m not sleepy.” So Katie 
reluctantly left her. 

Susie Avas removed to bed, and Mrs. Carter 
AA^as prevailed upon to lie down beside her; 


THE SHADOW OF DEATH, 


129 


but Jane only shook her head when the women 
tried to persuade her to do likewise, and kept 
her seat before the fire. The two women went 
away upstairs to talk with the men who were 
busy there, and Mrs. Davidson came and sat 
down beside the girl, putting her arms about 
her, and drawing Jane’s head down upon her 
shoulder. The gentle touch of sympathy 
broke the spell that was upon her, and the girl 
wept long and bitterly. At length she raised 
her despairing eyes to her friend’s face and 
whispered. 

‘‘ It was my money did it ! It was all my 
fault. Oh how can I bear it ? ” 

‘‘My dear child!” exclaimed the lady, 
startled by this unexpected idea. “ You must 
not allow yourself to look upon it in that way. 
You must not blame yourself for imaginary 
faults. You have worked hard and earned 
your money for the sake of helping those you 
love. Your motives have all been right. You 
are not to be blamed because your father mis- 
used that which you had hoped would help 
him. His sin is not yours. Your trouble is 
hard enough to bear without adding to it in 
this needless way.” 

“ But it has been my money all the time. I 
did not know it, but he must have been spend- 
ing it there all winter. I was so happy in 


130 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


thinking I was helping and making them all 
more comfortable, and all the while I was do- 
ing — this.” She gave a low wail that showed 
how keen was her suffering. 

“You did not do it, Janie. You must put 
that thought from you. If you did not know 
what he was doing, how can you be blamed 
for it? You honored your father with your 
confidence and your help. You had no reason 
to believe that he was unworthy of both, and 
therefore you are innocent in this trouble that 
has come upon you all. Do not allow yourself 
to entertain such thoughts for another moment. 
Instead of that, go to counting up what God 
has left to you, and try to see what good there 
is even in this evil.” Jane shook her head 
hopelessly. 

“ There is no good. God has put nothing 
good into my life. I know, without trying to 
look after it.” 

“ Let us see,” answered her friend. “ There 
is a text in the Bible that says, ‘ In everything 
give thanks, for this is the will of God, through 
Christ Jesus, concerning you.’ We would not 
be told to give thanks in everything if there 
was not some good to be found in Avhat comes 
to us. Are you not thankful that your mother 
and sisters are left to you ? That you have 
your home ? That you have friends to help 


THE SHADOW OF DEATH 


131 


you ? That you are young and strong, and 
qualified to earn a good living for those you 
love ? Be thankful that your father was 
spared to you so long, thankful that you were 
a good and obedient daughter. Above all, be 
thankful that there is a Father in heaven who 
watches over you and knows what is best for 
you. ‘ This is the will of God, through Christ 
Jesus, concerning you.’ No evil can come 
‘through Christ Jesus’ who gave his life for 
the world. He loves you. He would give 
you only the best things. Can you not trust 
him ? ” 

“Ho,” said Jane. “He doesn’t know me, 
and I don’t know him. If he loves me, why 
does he send this trouble on me ? That is not 
the way I would treat any one I loved.” 

“‘Ho chastening for the present seemeth to 
be joyous, but grievous : nevertheless afterward 
it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteous- 
ness,’” quoted the minister’s wife. “If your 
trouble would make you turn to the great 
Comforter for comfort and help, it would be 
the greatest blessing that could come to you, 
even though it now seems grievous. When you 
were a little child your parents Avatched over 
you and kept you from doing what they knew 
Avould hurt you. Ho doubt you often thought 
them unkind and cried very hard ; but now 


132 FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 

you can se^ that they did the best thing for 
you. God is your heavenly Father. He knows 
you, even though you think not. He can 
see ahead and tell what will work out for your 
best interests. It may be that he sees that by 
giving you the care of your mother and sisters 
it will make a true and noble woman of you, 
and transform your life into one of beauty. It 
may be that he wants you to remember that 
death may come at any moment and 3mu must 
be ready for it. It may be he takes this way 
of leading you to himself and making you see 
your need of him. There are many things 
that he may have in store for you which are 
to grow out of this very trouble. 

‘‘Have you forgotten your stumps, Janie, 
the ugly things that have proved to be the 
very elements of beauty in your yard ? This 
trouble is another ‘stump’ in your life, and 
the Lord means for you to make of it an 
added beauty to your character. He says, 
‘ What I do thou knowest not now, but thou 
shalt hnow hereafter,^ Take that promise and 
rest upon it. 

“How, dear, you must try -to sleep. You 
are more weary than you realize, and you 
must gather strength for what lies ahead. 
You must remember that your mother and 
sisters will look to you for comfort, and you 


THE SHADOW OF DEATH. 


133 


must not fail them. It is part of the work 
that the Lord has given into your hands. 
Come, dear.” 

Jane was soothed and awed by her friend’s 
words, and wearily obeyed her instructions. 
Her sorrows were soon forgotten in the heavy 
sleep that came to her, and Mrs. Davidson 
watched tenderly over her. 

‘^Ah!” the lady murmured, pitifully, ‘‘if I 
could only have said ‘ Be thankful that your 
father was such a faithful Christian. Be 
thankful that he was ready to go, and that 
death was but the doorway to eternal life for 
him. Be thankful that you can hope to meet 
him again some day.’ Ah! if I could have 
said these things, it would have been comfort 
indeed ; but alas ! these causes for thankful- 
ness are lacking here.” 

It was late the next morning when Jane 
awoke. There was a dull sense of trouble that 
came with her waking, then she sprang up 
with a sudden responsibility. “ Her school ! 
What would become of that ? ” 

Mrs. Davidson quieted her by saying, “ Do 
not worry. We thought of that and sent 
word to Mr. Watkins. He has dismissed 
school for a week, and he is here now. He 
came over to see if he could be of any help, 
and to express his sympathy.” 


134 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


Thus in every possible way did the neigh- 
bors and friends show their kindness to the 
stricken family and strive to ease their pain. 
Not only through that trying day, but througli 
many succeeding days, the minister and his 
wife proved pillars of strength to these people 
who turned to them and clung to them in their 
misery. 

At the end of the week Jane’s school work 
was resumed, and carried to a successful finish. 
She felt very glad and proud when Mr. Wat- 
kins shook hands with her at the close of 
“ the last day ” and said : 

‘‘ Wa-al, Miss Carter, you’ve taught a pretty 
fair school — yes, I should say it was pretty 
middlin’ fair. You hain’t done much thrashin’ 
— but mebbe that’s because the young uns took 
to you so well — an’ you hain’t hardly give ’em 
as much spellin’ book as I used to git when I 
was a-schoolin’. But take it all round, the 
young uns have done first-rate, an’ a sight bet- 
ter’n they done a year ago. So if you want 
the school again next winter, I’m agreeable to 
your havin’ it.” 

For all of which Jane thanked him so heart- 
ily, and with such a grateful look in her eyes, 
that he liked her better than ever, and declared 
to his wife that she was Actooally the best- 
natured red-headed girl he had ever seen.” 


THE SHADOW OF DEATH 


135 


The school fairly finished, Jane, Katie and 
Mrs. Carter sat down and planned their work 
for the summer. 

‘^You girls had better go on jest as you 
Towed to do before pap died,” the mother 
said. Susie an’ I can manage the housework 
an’ the churnin’, an’ you can put in the garden 
an’ raise chickens. I’ll git neighbor Rogers to 
plow an’ put in the pertaters, an’ you two can 
’tend ’em, I reckon. Then there’s berries. 
Peddler Bates told me we could sell all we could 
pick down to the Landing. The storekeeper 
ships ’em to the city. You girls can pick ’em 
between times ; an’ I ’low we’ll be able to keep 
ourselves, without usin’ up what’s left of Janie’s 
school money. We’ll try an’ keep that in case 
of sickness, or fer fear the pertater crop should 
go back on us.” 

This plan was closely followed out. Much 
to lazy Susie’s dissatisfaction she found herself 
destined to work the churndasher three times 
a week, and wash dishes three times a day — 
an arrangement which seriously interfered with 
her idle pleasures. 

Jane and Katie went into the field and the 
garden, and worked hard at their allotted tasks. 
Their garden flourished so well that they found 
themselves able to sell some of their truck ” 
to the storekeeper at the Landing. Their 


136 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


potato crop was so carefully tended that it far 
excelled the crops that their shiftless father 
had raised, and their chickens well repaid for 
the faithful attention given them. 

It was only the result of faithful, steady, 
careful work, but at the close of the summer 
the family were surprised and rejoiced to find 
that they had really advanced, and that their 
little store had increased rather than dimin- 
ished. 


CHAPTER XIY. 


A GLIMPSE UPWAED. 

Whett Will Carter received Jane’s letter 
announcing his father’s death he was stunned 
by the news. Death was one thing upon 
which he had not reckoned when he said good- 
bye to his loved ones and went out into the 
world. He thought of nothing except the 
fortune he was going to make and take back 
to them. The boy really loved his parents 
and sisters, and perhaps loved his father the 
best of all. As the firstborn, and the only 
son, he had been his father’s especial favorite, 
and they had been almost constant compan- 
ions. He had meant to do great things for 
his father ‘‘ some day ” ; but now the father 
was gone, and “ some day ” would never 
come. 

The manner of his father’s death was the 
bitterest part of the blow, and — like Janie — 
Will found in it an especial subject for re- 
morse. 

If I had stayed at home I would have 
been with him all the time. He always took 

137 


138 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


me with him when he went to the Landing. 
He would never have gone near the saloon if I 
had been with him, and then this would never 
have happened. Oh, I wish I had never come 
away.” 

Such were his thoughts as he followed his 
plow through the long furrows of his uncle’s 
field, and many were the tears that dropped 
unheeded upon the plow-handles. He tor- 
mented himself so much with this view of the 
question that he forgot to consider what effect 
his father’s death would have upon the rest of 
the family, until Bessie asked about it. 

She had studied earnestly over it, ever since 
the news had been received, and waited im- 
patiently for Will to say something that would 
show that he was considering it also. As the 
days slipped into weeks without his appearing 
to think of his duty in the case, her impatience 
changed to indignation ; and at the first oppor- 
tunity she put it at him in this wise : 

Will, what will your mother do for a liv- 
ing, now that your father is dead ? ” 

“Whj" — ” Will answered, slowly, ‘‘1 sup- 
pose things will go on about the same as ever. 
She’ll maybe get one of the neighbors to do 
the plowing, and the girls can tend the crop. 
There ain’t much ground, you know,” he added 
hastilj", as he noted the look of indignant sur- 


A GLIMPSE UPWARD. 


139 


prise on his cousin’s face. ‘‘Maj^be Jane will 
hire a boy to tend it, bein’ as she has made so 
much teaching school.” 

‘‘But don’t you suppose her money Avill be 
nearl}^ gone by this time ? They have had to 
live on it all winter, and then there are the 
funeral expenses beside,” Bessie replied. 

“ Funeral expenses wouldn’t amount to very 
much,” Will replied, uneasily. “Neighbor Sim- 
mons makes all the coffins that’s needed in the 
neighborhood, and he never charges more than 
ten dollars. Then the neighbors do all the 
rest, so you see that wouldn’t take as much as 
you think — not near as much as it does out 
here. No, I ain’t afraid but they’ll get on all 
right. If they don’t, all they have to do is to 
let me know, and I’ll sell a load of hogs and 
send them some money.” 

Will felt that he had said quite a magnani- 
mous thing, and that Bessie ought to be satis- 
fied with the proper spirit he had shown. But 
she was not. 

“ Perhaps they will think that if you have 
any money to spare you will send it without 
their having to ask for it ; and so they may not 
want to trouble you, thinking that you cannot 
help them.” 

“ Well, I can’t — very well — just now, that’s 
a fact. My hogs ain’t hardly fat enough, and 


140 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


beside, the price is off a cent and a half. But 
when I do sell I’ll send them some,” said Will, 
compromisingly. Bessie turned angrily away. 
She could not trust herself to talk any longer 
with her selfish cousin, knowing that she 
would surely say things that would make him 
angry, and perhaps work disaster to the cause 
she was trying to plead. 

As for Will, he was thoroughly uncomfort- 
able. He saw that Bessie was disgusted with 
him, and his conscience troubled him also. 
He knew that it was his duty to help his mother 
and sisters, but he could not make up his mind 
to do it at the sacrifice it would be just then. 
He went out to his pens and looked at his fine 
fat hogs, at the crib filled with corn which his 
money had bought to feed them, and his heart 
swelled with pride and avarice. 

They’re just doing fine,” he said to him- 
self. ‘‘ It would be a burning shame to sell 
them now, when the market may go up any 
day.” The more he thought about it the 
bigger that “ cent and a half ” grew. 

“ Girls don’t know much about business,” 
he grumbled. There ain’t any rush that I 
can see. When I do sell, then’ll be time 
enough to talk about giving away my money. 
It’s all for them anyhow, and I’d like to know 
how any one can expect me to get ahead if I 


A GLIMPSE UPWARD, 


141 


have to keep breaking into my capital all the 
time.” 

So he compromised between greed and con- 
science by writing to Jane that he “couldn’t 
send them . any money just then, because his 
hogs were not ready to sell ; but if tiiey needed 
some at any time, to let him know, and he’d 
get the money for them — even if he had to 
borrow it.” 

“ There now,” he said, complacently, as he 
sealed up his letter. “ That ought to be liberal 
enough to satisfy anybody. It costs like 
everything to borrow money, but I’d do it be- 
fore I’d let them suffer.” Then he mailed his 
letter and went on his regular way : but his 
awakened conscience refused to be satisfied 
with the arguments which had hitherto seemed 
so plausible. The good seed which Bessie had 
sown in the stony ground of his heart had 
taken root, and was yet destined to bear fruit. 

When Jane received the letter at the little 
country post office she hoped far more than 
she realized that her brother had sent them 
help, so that their summer’s work need not be 
so hard, and that they need not encroach upon 
the small sum she had left. She did not open 
the letter until she had reached the solitude 
of the woods on her way homeward, then she 
read it carefully through, and sighed as she 


142 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


folded it away into its envelope. She and 
Katie had talked over this very matter, and 
had hoped that their brother would be able to 
help them. And this was the answer. 

Her own store had dwindled much below 
one hundred dollars, and if their garden and 
potatoes failed their living would have to be 
cut very close to make it reach over till after 
her school opened the next October. 

She did not reproach her brother. She did 
not know how much he had accumulated by 
investing his careful savings, and ‘^turning 
them over” several times in the two years he 
had been away. 

Katie will be so disappointed,” she mur- 
mured. And Susie will hav^e to do without 
her lawn dress after all. But then it isn’t 
Will’s fault. His letter shows he’s real sorry. 
I did hope that he was making more money 
than he seems to be doing.” 

Katie did not take her disappointment so 
quietly. She grew quite angry over it, and 
wished vainly that Will had never been per- 
suaded into leaving home. 

If he had stayed we wouldn’t have to work 
so hard, and you could get a little rest this 
summer. You’ve worked awful hard, Janie, 
and however are you going to get time to 
study for examination again in September ? ” 


A GLIMPSE UPWARD. 


143 


To which Jane answered quietly, 

‘‘ It will come out right, Katie. Don’t 
worry.” Then she went out into her garden 
and set vigorously to work. 

The sorrow and care that had fallen upon 
this young girl were already beginning to 
work a transformation in her character. In 
studying how best to help her mother and her 
sisters she was forgetting herself and her own 
ambitions. Through her sympathy for their 
grief she was more tender and less easily 
irritated. Because of the pressure of the work 
laid upon her, she had no time to repine over 
the hardness of her lot, nor the narrowness of 
her sphere. All hope of the coveted college 
course had been buried in her father’s grave. 
Once more her native hills and forests lifted, 
but this time it was not to open out into wider 
and more beautiful distances, but to settle 
down forever upon the old, narrow boundaries. 

In these days of sore trial she turned more 
and more to Mrs. Davidson for comfort and 
counsel, and through her gentle teachings was 
learning lessons of divine wisdom. 

To her alone the girl had poured out the 
depth of her disappointment over her buried 
hopes and her crushed ambitions. 

‘‘ I can never be anybody,” she sobbed in 
her despair. I can never hope to know any 


144 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


more than I do now. I must stay right here, 
and just work as long as I live.” She buried 
her face in her friend’s lap and wept unre- 
strainedly. The lady stroked her hair gently 
until the heaviest of her grief was over ; then 
she said : 

‘‘Janie, your life may be shut in on every 
side, but you have forgotten to look upward. 
There are no boundaries above you. Thank 
God, there is no limit to the possibilities 
opened out to all of us in that direction. You 
cannot acquire the earthly wisdom which you 
crave, but there is a wisdom that cometh down 
from above, which may be yours for the seek- 
ing.” Jane looked up at her friend eagerly. 
She remembered having heard those words 
before, but for the moment could not recall 
when or where they had been repeated. 

“ ‘ The wisdom that cometh down from 
above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and 
easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good 
fruits, without partiality and without hypoc- 
risy.’ Janie, do you want this wisdom? ” 

The girl had hidden her face in her hands, 
and was trying to grasp the meaning of the 
words. At last she answered slowly, “ I 
don’t know. I suppose it is the best that I 
can do.” 

“Yes,” Mrs. Davidson replied promptly. 


A GLIMPSE UPWARD. 


145 


“ It is the best — the very hest — that any one 
can do, to accept this ‘ wisdom from above.’ ” 

Their conversation had been interrupted 
there, and Jane had gone away with her heart 
sore and unsatisfied. She had walked slowly 
homeward through the gathering dusk, and as 
she looked at the crooked, narrow road, with 
its unsightly stumps, she had murmured, “ So 
narrow 1 So narrow ! ” 

Then she looked upward. Far, far beyond 
the tall trees the blue sky arched pure and 
clear above her, and even as she looked a tiny 
star twinkled out of the limitless heights. 
She gazed, awe-struck. Then as she went 
slowly onward she said aloud, ‘‘ It may be 
narrow, lut it shall he high.’*^ 

As the days went by and she worked faith- 
fully at her tasks, her mind studied constantly 
over the question of the Wisdom from on 
high.” The text dwelt ever in her thoughts. 
‘‘ If it would make all of that in my life, 
wouldn’t it be the truly best thing after all ? ” 
she asked herself. And at length, instead of 
looking upon it as the best substitute ” for 
what she wanted, she began to desire it as 
‘‘ the one thing needful,” the very best of all 
good things, and to reach out for it accord- 
ingly. 

Thus, although but a few weeks had passed 


146 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


since her father’s death, the blessing hidden in 
the sorrow was beginning to open out to her. 

Through the summer her one recreation 
was the cultivation of her flowers. With the 
greatest of care she tended the vines and blos- 
soms that transformed the ugly stumps in the 
yard into things of beauty ; and for the first 
time she gave names to each one — names that 
were not even revealed to Mrs. Davidson. 

“ Here is my bad temper,” she said to her- 
self over one of the most unsightly. And 
this one shall be selfishness, and that great big 
one is ignorance — yes, and there’s poverty and 
hard work and disappointment — there are 
stumps enough for all of them, and more too ; 
and I won’t rest till I get them all covered.” 

Who can tell what messages of peace and 
encouragement and contentment the beautiful 
blossoms spoke to her heart all the summer 
through. 


CHAPTEE XV. 


HEE IN^EW AMBITION. 

Jane and Katie had been down to the 
Landing. It was only nine o’clock of a warm 
August morning, but they had driven the 
five miles from their home, finished their trad- 
ing and turned their horse’s head toward 
home. 

During Mr. Carter’s lifetime the family had 
sold what butter and eggs they had to spare 
to the old peddler who passed their home once 
or twice a week, and obtained in exchange 
what few groceries and dry goods they 
needed. When Jane took the management of 
things she reasoned thus with her mother : 

If old Mr. Bates can make money by tak- 
ing our produce and selling it at the Landing, 
we ought to be able to make something by do- 
ing it ourselves. He must make something on 
the groceries he sells us, or he could not afford 
to run his wagon. If we go to the store to 
buy our dresses we won’t have to choose from 
one or two or three pieces, and we can get 
prettier ones and not pay any more either. 

147 


148 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


So, mother, if you are willing, Katie and I will 
try what we can make by taking the things 
to the store ourselves.” 

“Well, you kin do jest as you please about 
it. Ef you want to go to all that trouble I’m 
sure I don’t keer, though fer my part I don’t 
see any need of it. Old Bates has alius done 
well by us, an’ I was alius well enough pleased 
with his goods. But law there’s no accountin’ 
fer girls’ whims. I s’pose you want to go 
more fer the sake of goin’ than anything else. 
But I don’t keer, ef you want to go to all that 
bother. Only you’ll have to start powerful 
airly, so’s the butter Avon’t be ile before you 
get there, and so’s you kin git back to do your 
hoein’. Be keerful not to drive old Jim too 
hard, an’ don’t stand around gassin’ Avith 
them store felloAvs after your tradin’s done. 
I don’t Avant my girls to make fools of their- 
selves.” 

So the arrangement had been made. All 
through the berry season the girls had been 
up and off by four o’clock in the morning, 
making several trips a week. It Avas no short 
or easy journey over the rough, hilly, rocky 
road, Avith “old Jim ” going at a snail’s pace ; 
and they thought themselves very SAvift in- 
deed if they Avere able to start on their home- 
ward Avay by nine o’clock. Still, they en- 


HER NEW A3IB1TI0N. 


149 


joyed their trips wonderfully. It was their 
one pleasure, their one glimpse out into the 
busy world, and they looked forward eagerly 
to “ Landing day.-’ Jane had succeeded in 
obtaining so much more for her produce that 
her mother had been satisfied after the first 
few trips that it was a wise move, and there- 
fore looked upon it more favorably. Thus it 
came about that the two backwoods girls in 
their rickety, one-horse spring wagon became 
a familiar sight to the dwellers at the Land- 
ing. 

On the morning in question they had done 
particularly well with their produce. They 
had taken the usual amount of butter and 
eggs, and had a lot of late ‘^garden truck,” 
and a coop of young chickens in addition, so 
that they had been able to purchase their 
needed supply of groceries and also to get a 
neat, light calico dress and a pair of shoes for 
Jane to wear to Vernon to the teachers’ ex- 
amination. The minds of both girls dwelt 
upon these two extra purchases as they went 
on their way homeward. 

‘^Your dress will be awfully pretty, Janie,” 
said Katie, after they had left the little town 
behind them. 

‘‘Yes,” answered Jane. “I think it’s the 
prettiest dress I ever had, and I’ll get Mrs. 


150 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


Davidson to fit it for me so that it will look 
nice.” 

I wish I could go to Vernon with yon,” 
sighed Katie, ‘‘but then I know I can’t. 
Somebody has to stay and help mother, and 
tend to things. But then I can’t help wish- 
ing that Susie would do it, so that I could 
go.” 

“ Susie is young yet, and she hasn’t learned 
that people have got to do a great many 
things that they don’t like if they mean to 
get on in the world. She’ll learn it after 
while,” answered Jane, kindly. 

AVell, I can’t look at it just that way,” re- 
plied Katie, a little bitterly. “ She’s thirteen 
now, and it seems to me it’s about time that 
she was beginning to learn.” Jane wisely 
made no answer to this remark, and the two 
rode for some distance in silence. Suddenly 
Katie asked : 

“What do you mean to do about going 
away to school? You never say anything 
about it any more. Have , you given it up ?” 
The question struck Jane so unexpectedly that 
she found it hard to answer. Her heart had 
been so set on gaining an education that she 
could hardly bear to think of giving it up, al- 
though slie saw that her way was hedged 
about and that her hopes could never be ful- 


HER NEW A3IB1TI0N 


151 


filled. It was some moments before she could 
control herself enough to answer her sister’s 
questions calmly ; then she said : 

Yes, I have given it all up. I could not 
take my school money and go away and leave 
you all without anything to live on. You 
couldn’t get along by yourself, tending the 
garden and potatoes and taking these long 
trips alone. Even if you could, I’d hate my- 
self for letting you do it. jNTo, Katie, the Lord 
means for me to stay right here and do the 
things he has set for me to do. I can’t help 
feeling bad about it sometimes, for I did want 
to go ; but I’d rather do what I know is right 
than to do the wrong thing simply because it 
pleases me best.” 

I don’t see how you can feel that way,” 
said Katie, the tears starting to her eyes. ‘‘ I 
don’t believe I can give up that easy. I 
wanted you to go, and I wanted to go myself. 
It was all so nice as we planned it.” 

“And I mean that you shall go, Katie. 
My giving it up does not mean that you will 
have to. It only means that it will make it 
more possible for you.” 

“Do you think I’d be that mean, Jane 
Carter ? ” flashed Katie. “ If it would be sel- 
fish and wrong for you, it would be selfish 
and wrong for me. Do you think I’d go off 


152 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


and leave everything for you ? Besides, I 
wouldn’t Avant to go alone. I’d want you 
along.” 

But you see we can’t both go, and I can 
manage here better than you could. I’ve 
studied it all over and over, and I believe we 
can fix it so you can go in a year or two. 
Next year you will be able to teach, too. 
What I make will keep the three of us very 
nicely, and you can have all your earnings to 
take you to school. 'And don’t you see, Katie, 
it wouldn’t be selfish for you because you 
would only be fitting yourself to earn higher 
wages and help us more in the end.” 

‘^Then why can’t you do that and let me 
stay at home ? ” asked unselfish Katie. 

Because mother would not be satisfied, and 
Susie wouldn’t help you as well as she would 
me,” answered Jane. 

“I think Susie is real mean,” said Katie, 
angrily. 

‘‘ No,” answered the elder sister, ‘‘ she does 
not intend it that Avay. She is only thought- 
less.” 

‘^Well, it’s pure selfishness, and selfishness 
is meanness, even if it is thoughtless. That 
only makes it Avorse. She’s old enough to 
think,” said Katie. Jane laughed a little. 

“ Don’t you see that you and she could not 


EER NEW A3IBITI0N. 


153 


work together?” Katie laughed, in spite of 
her vexation. 

“ I guess you are about right, Janie.” Then, 
more soberly, she asked: ^‘What’s become of 
your bad temper that used to fly up so easy ? 
Some way you seem to have lost a whole lot 
of it. What did it ? School teaching ? ” 

“ Ye-es, partly,” answered Jane. ‘‘I found 
I had to control myself when I was dealing 
with other people, and that I could do it well 
enough when I found I had to. That made 
me ashamed to be so fiery at home. Then 
when I found I could not get away from here 
to learn the wisdom of the world, I determined 
to get the ‘wisdom that cometh down from 
above,’ and it is ‘first pure, then peaceable, 
gentle and easy to be entreated,’ so I’ve tried 
to begin at the beginning of it, and perhaps 
after awhile I’ll get around to the ‘ mercy and 
good fruits.’ ” Jane had almost forgotten her 
auditor as she spoke, so deeply was she en- 
grossed in the thoughts that Avere embodied in 
her new ambition. Katie did not answer for 
a moment, then she asked, anxiously : 

“ Jane, are you getting religious ? ” 

“ Ye-es,” said Jane, smiling a little, “ I guess 
that is what you would call it.” Katie Avas so 
overAvhelmed by this statement that she sat 
and studied it over. At length she said sloAAfiy : 


154 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


“ I used to think getting religious must be 
dreadfully disagreeable to the one who did it 
and everybody else beside, but when I went to 
Vernon some way it seemed different. And 
now if it means making one as much different 
as it has you, and you say you are just begin- 
ning, I believe it’s a pretty nice thing after all.” 

This sisterly tribute was very touching and 
very comforting to Jane. 

I am glad if I have improved enough for 
any one to be able to see it,” she said, humbly. 
‘‘It isn’t easy work, and I get discouraged 
sometimes, and think it isn’t any use to try ; 
my bad temper does get the upper hand with 
me so often, and I find it so hard to do the 
right thing. But I’ve found that, as Mrs. 
Davidson told me, the ‘ wisdom from above ’ 
is the best kind because it helps over the hard 
places and makes me content with the narrow 
places.” 

“ I wish you’d tell me all about it, and how 
you happened to think of it,” Katie said, as 
Jane relapsed into silence. So while Jim 
plodded sleepily along the story was recited 
to the eager young listener. Katie’s soul took 
fire at it. She had determined to “learn 
everything there was in the world to learn,” 
and had set herself at it. But here was a 
“ wisdom which is not of this world ” which 


HER NEW A3IB1TI0N. 


155 


was suddenly revealed to her, and, best of all, 
it was a wisdom which she could gain even 
there in that little corner of the backwoods. 
Her cheeks flushed and her eyes flashed. She 
drew a long breath as Jane finished the fasci- 
nating story. 

‘H’ln going to learn more about it, Janie,” 
she said, earnestly. ‘‘We’ll get grandfather’s 
old Bible that is in the ‘ best room,’ and we’ll 
study about it. Has it any index so we’ll 
know where to look ? ” 

“I don’t hardly think it has,” replied Jane. 
“AVe can ask Mrs. Davidson, though.” 

“ Hurry up and let’s get home,” said impetu- 
ous Katie. “ I’m anxious to see. Besides, it’s 
getting late. Just see where the sun is.” 

“It is getting high. It must be eleven 
o’clock. I was so busy thinking that I forgot 
to notice the time,” and Jane gave Jim so 
sudden a slap with the lines as to surprise him 
into the semblance of a trot. 

Susie was watching for them when they got 
home. 

“ AVhat kept 5^ou so long ? ” she asked. 
“ Mother began to be afraid that you’d broken 
down, or that Jim had gone lame again. Let 
me see your new dress, Janie. I do wish I 
could have a new dress. Jane gets every- 
thing,” she grumbled. 


156 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


/‘But Jane teaches school and makes pretty 
near all the money we have, and she deserves 
things. Anyway, she just has to have them 
so she can go to A^ernon,’’ replied Katie, indig- 
nantly. She and Susie carried the egg cases, 
the butter jar and the various bundles to the 
house, while Jane unharnessed and fed the 
faithful old horse, and by the time the elder 
sister had reached the house, the little dispute 
between the younger ones had been forgotten. 

Katie did not forget the conversation held 
by the way, nor the new ambition that had 
taken possession of her. At the first oppor- 
tunity the old Bible was found and dusted, 
and she carried it to the room she and Jane 
occupied together. To her great disappoint- 
ment there was no “index,” so she had to con- 
tent herself with turning the pages aimlessly 
and picking up the gems of truth contained 
therein. The chronology, the biography, the 
history, the geography, the prophetical puz- 
zles of the “higher critics” did not disturb 
her ; but she found therein “ Jesus Christ and 
Inm crucified,” who is the source of all wis- 
dom and the satisfaction of every longing 
soul. 

It may seem strange that the Bible was “ as 
a sealed book ” to a girl sixteen years of age, 
and in this gospel land at that ; but hers is far 


EER NEW A3IBITI0N 


157 


from being an uncommon case. There are 
many homes, some of them professedly Chris- 
tian homes, too, where the children know almost 
as little in regard to God’s AVord as did these 
two poor girls who had been brought up in a 
home where religion was unknown. In their 
eagerness to acquire the heavenly wisdom, 
they placed themselves above many who 
Avould have sneered at their uncultivated 
w^ays, and scorned even to admit them to their 
supposedly superior society. 


CHAPTER XVI. 


SUSIE’S DESIRES. 

Susie was supposed to be churning. In re- 
ality she was sitting on a rock, dabbling her 
bare feet in the cool spring Avater, and enjoy- 
ing life in the manner best suited to herself. 
She liked to be down at the spring, and spent 
much time there. 

This spring was one of the beauty-spots of 
nature, and would have filled the soul of an 
artist with delight. It was situated in the 
Avood-lot, across the road from the Carter 
liouse, at the foot of some rocky steps that led 
doAvn the steep bank below the road. From 
beneath the high bank doAvn Ayhicli the path 
led, a stream of water gushed out through 
an opening about a foot high and ten feet 
Avide, floAved oA^er a bed of solid rock for sev- 
eral feet, then rushed oA^er a second little clift, 
and foaming and gurgling disappeared amid 
the thickets of the deep ravine. The bank 
above the spring Avas almost perpendicular, 
and Avas covered by moss and ferns and over- 
hung by mighty oak trees. On each side 
158 


SUSIE DESIRES, 


159 


the hills closed down to the ravine, and so 
steep were they that it was difficult work to 
climb them, even though aided by the bushes 
that grew upon their sides. 

After a heavy rain sister streams came tum- 
bling in white showers down the sides of the 
ravine, and joined the main torrent a short 
distance below the fall. These streams were 
dry the greater part of the time, but the big 
spring ” ran steadily on, no matter how long 
the drouth. On the farther side of the spring 
was a ledge of rock a few inches higher than 
the current of the stream, and several feet 
Avide. Here the Carters had constructed a 
rude spring-house, which Avas reached by step- 
ping-stones, and here all the work of butter- 
making was done during the Avarm months of 
the year. No wonder their butter Avas ahvays 
fresh and sweet and solid, and commanded the 
best price at the Landing ! 

It is not surprising that Susie’s sluggish 
nature found keen delight in the quiet solitude 
of such a spot as this. It was too far from the 
house for her to be easily interrupted by calls 
to Avork. So she sat contentedly upon the 
rock, dabbling her feet in the cool Avater, 
Avatching the birds that fluttered among the 
trees, or flew doAvn to the stream to drink 
and bathe, and letting her mind run vaguely 


ICO FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 

from one line of thought to another in this 
fashion : 

“ I do wonder where all that water comes 
from, and why it never all runs out. I should 
think it would come to an end some time. I’d 
like to crawl under that rock and see what is 
in there, but Janie says it’s all dark and I’d 
only stick fast and get drowned. I wish I could 
run away from here like the stream does. I’d 
like to see all the places it goes through before 
it gets to the river. It doesn’t have anything 
to do except run and sing, and it never has to 
churn. Oh, the horrid churning! I wish I 
hadn’t remembered it. Why can’t butter grow 
on trees, or else just gather itself in the milk 
without all this bother ? I wish Janie could 
make a whole lot more money so we wouldn’t 
have to make butter to sell, or else that Will 
Avould get as rich as Uncle William and send 
for us all to go out there to live. Maybe I’ll 
see a big boat like the one he went on Avhen 
Katie and I go down to the Landing to-mor- 
row. Maybe I’d better get to churning or 
this butter won’t be done and then we can’t 
go.” She got slowly up from her shady seat, 
and had barely resumed her place at the churn- 
dasher when Katie came running down the 
steps. 

Is the butter ready to work ? ” she asked. 


SUSIE DESIRES, 


161 


replied Susie, slowly. It don’t ap- 
pear to come very good.” Katie opened the 
lid and looked into the churn. 

“I don’t believe you’ve churned this milk a 
bit. What have you been doing ? Oh, I see,” 
as she discovered the tracks which Susie’s wet 
feet had made across the ledge. “You’ve 
been playing in the water. I’ve the biggest 
mind in the world not to take you down to 
the Landing with me to-morrow.” 

“ Don’t say that, Katie. Please don’t. I 
didn’t mean to fool so long. My arms got 
tired and I sat down to rest and I just forgot. 
Only do let me go with you. I’ve never been 
to the Landing, and I’ll feel dreadful if I 
can’t go.” The dasher flew as fast as the 
pleading tongue, and Katie’s wrath melted 
at sight of the tears in her little sister’s 
eyes. 

“ If you’ll keep right on and not fool away 
any more time. I’ll let you go. But I do get 
so tired of your lazy ways. Aren’t you ever 
going to get over them, Susie Carter ? You’re 
getting to be a great big girl, and you hardly 
know anything.” 

“ I don’t care if I don’t,” returned Susie, 
crossly. “ I don’t mean to teach school, so I 
don’t need to study.” 

“ But when Janie and I are teaching you’ll 


i62 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


have to help mother with all the work, and 
you’ll find out that won’t be so very easy.” 

“ It’ll be time enough to worry about that 
when the time comes. You can’t teach school 
till next year, and maybe Will will come home 
before that time and we won’t any of us have 
to work,” was the hopeful reply. 

‘‘Don’t set your heart too much on Will. 
He may stay away years and years like Uncle 
William did. I don’t believe he’s making 
much money, for when father died he wrote 
to Jane that he’d like to send us some money 
to help along, only he hadn’t any ; but he 
would send some whenever he got it. He 
hasn’t sent any yet, and that proves he isn’t 
getting rich very fast. You’ll have to learn to 
depend on yourself, Susie Carter. It don’t do 
to count on other people’s money or work 
to keep one from starving. You’re well 
enough now, but what will you do when you 
get big? You couldn’t even make a living 
doing somebody’s kitchen- work.” 

“ Oh,” said Susie, carelessly, “ I’ll get mar- 
ried. Then I’ll have somebody to make a liv- 
ing for me.” 

“ Huh ! ” cried Katie, scornfully. “ It would 
be a pretty poor sort of man that would want 
to marrj^ a girl that was too lazy to try to 
earn her own living. But that’s neither here 


SUSIE'S DESIRES 


163 


nor there. IVe got to go back to work, and I 
want you to hurry and get that churning done. 
Jane will get home from Vernon this afternoon, 
and we want to get all our work done before she 
comes, for she will have lots of things to tell us.” 

Katie vanished as quickly as she had come, 
and Susie was aroused sufficiently to keep at 
her work until it was finished. Then she 
clambered up the side of the ravine, and went 
in search of wild-grapes which she knew were 
beginning to ripen. But Katie’s little lecture 
was not forgotten. 

‘‘ I don’t see why she needs to be so cross,” 
the child grumbled. “I’m only a little girl 
yet, and I don’t need to work for a living. 
When the time comes then I’ll think about it. 
I want to have a good time now, and I just 
mean to have it. It’s none of her business any- 
way. She ain’t my boss.” 

The discovery of a heavily-laden vine dis- 
tracted her mind from her unpleasant thoughts, 
and filled her mouth with something more 
agreeable than cross words. She tore her 
dress on the bushes, and scratched her bare 
feet on the briars, but in spite of both mishaps 
it was a happy little girl that ran home at 
noon with lips and teeth as black as ink and 
her sunbonnet filled with a supply of grapes 
for future enjoyment. 


1G4 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


“ It’s no use for me to say an}' thing to her,” 
Katie said to herself. “It only makes her 
worse. If she chooses to live that way, and 
enjoys herself best so. I’ll just let her alone ; 
it will save hateful feelings and cross words on 
both sides.” 

Which sensible conclusion proved that 
Katie’s search for the “wisdom that cometh 
down from above ” had not been entirely in 
vain. 

The winter wore rapidly by, Jane found her 
work in the schoolroom more and more pleas- 
ant, and the pupils of “District Ko. 12 ’’re- 
ceived such a stimulus from her energy and 
love of wisdom as to call forth their own en- 
deavors as had never been done before. Mr. 
A\^atkins viewed the progress of the school with 
unbounded satisfaction. 

“ I declare, she’s the best teacher we’ve ever 
had — ef she is only a gal. And she’s actooally 
the best-natured red-headed gal I’ve ever seen. 
She do beat all.” Which was his highest 
meed of praise. 

Jane made another advance in her school- 
work that winter. She did it very timidly, 
with shrinking heart, but it had impressed itself 
upon her as “ the right thing to do,” and that 
was what she was striving for. On the first 
morning of school in very simple language she 


SUSIE DESIRES, 


165 


told her pupils of the wisdom from above,” and 
the help it would be to them in their search for 
earthly wisdom. She read them a short pas- 
sage from the Epistle of James in regard to 
this wisdom, and then olfered a prayer for Di- 
vine help and guidance in the studies of the 
day. It was a very short and stammering 
prayer but the true spirit was in it, and Jane’s 
heart was light all day from the consciousness 
of having done the right thing.” The pupils 
were profoundly impressed, not so much by 
what she said as by the earnestness with 
which she spoke, and, although they said noth- 
ing, they respected her the more for the stand 
she had taken. 

It is not to be supposed that the work of the 
winter was all smooth and easy and pleasant. 
There were days of deep discouragement and 
utter weariness, days of rebellion on the part 
of pupils and irritation on the part of the 
teacher. There was rain and sleet and snow and 
mud and cold to be endured. There Avere long 
lonely walks to and from school, and times 
Avhen the creek was so high and the foot log 
so slippery that the little teacher had to craAvl 
across on hands and knees. All teachers meet 
Avith more or less of such trials as these, but 
they can be endured Avhen one takes each 
day a.s it comes, and does not Avorry over 


166 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


what is ahead nor fret over annoyances left 
behind. 

The winter was a very busy one for Katie. 
She was studying hard in preparation for tak- 
ing the teachers’ examination in the fall. 
More than that, she was looking ahead to the 
college course that had become her ambition. 
She and Jane had held many conversations 
about it, and the elder sister had succeeded in 
persuading the younger one to go ahead and 
obtain that which was not possible for both of 
them to achieve. Katie had become convinced 
that she could not take Jane’s place in the 
home, and that therefore it would not be selfish 
for her to prepare herself to be of much greater 
assistance to the family by educating herself 
for a better position. So she began to study 
and to work for that which lay more than a 
year ahead of her. Beside her work in the 
common school branches she took one or two 
higher studies, and by the time the winter was 
over felt that she had made good advance in 
her extra work. 

During the summer Mr. Davidson offered to 
give her instruction in a beginner’s course in 
Latin, and the offer was eagerly accepted. 

Susie did not view these proceedings with an 
approving eye. Katie’s extra study left more 
of the home work for her to perform, which 


SUSIE'S DESIRES. 


167 


was far from agreeable to her. She had counted 
much on the benefits to be derived from the 
money which Katie would earn in teaching, 
and now Katie was actually intending to keep 
it all for herself. 

‘‘ Talk about selfishness,” she grumbled, as 
she bent over the hoe which now fell to her 
share, “ Katie’s the worst kind of selfish. She 
needn’t talk to me about it any more. It’s a 
good thing for mother and me that Jane is not 
like her. Well, when she’s gone there’ll only 
be three of us to live off what we have here, 
so maybe it won’t be so bad after all.” 

Foolish Susie thought to find her happiness 
in doing just as she pleased,” regardless of the 
rights and feelings of others : but she found it 
a thorny, uncomfortable road. 

A life of selfishness is the narrowest and 
least satisfactory of all lives ; and the one who 
travels it finds herself farther and farther from 
the goal of true happiness. 

The discontented, grasping spirit is contin- 
ually reaching out for more good than falls to 
its share ; and envy and jealousy, impart a bit- 
ter flavor to what might otherwise prove the 
sweetest of pleasures. 

Alas ! for the ones who allow their feet to 
stray into this most unhappy road through 
life. 


CHAPTER XVIL 


TWO HUNDRED MILES APART. 

It would take too long to record all the 
events of the next year. Jane and Katie both 
worked hard in their schools, and Susie found 
her hands unpleasantly full at home. Her 
mother was growing old, and was unable to do 
as much work as had been her custom ; so 
Susie had it to do, and her mother would allow 
no shirking. 

“ Here you be, a great big girl nearly fif- 
teen years old, and you hardly know how to 
do anything. When I was your age I could 
jest work around all the girls, an’ I wasn’t too 
lazy to do it, neither. I don’t see where you 
got your shiftless ways. It must hev come 
from the Carter side of the family, fer there 
hain’t none of it on the Ferguson side, that’s 
sure.” With such words as these the old lady 
scolded, and never stopped to consider that 
she herself was much to blame for having 
allowed her daughter to form such idle, selfish 
habits. 

Susie tried to persuade her mother to put a 
168 


TWO HUNDRED BIILES APART, 


169 


stop to Katie’s plans for a college course, but 
Mrs. Davidson had forestalled her. 

The minister’s wife had convinced Mrs. 
Carter that the good of the family would be 
advanced by giving Katie a chance to earn 
higher wages. It was by no means a high 
standpoint upon which to base her plea, but it 
was quite as high as Mrs. Carter’s limited in- 
tellectual abilities were able to attain. Katie’s 
own moral, intellectual and social gain would 
have been beyond her comprehension, so Mrs. 
Davidson did not attempt to urge them. 

One point only troubled the mother. 

‘‘ I’m afeard it will make Katie stuck up, an’ 
dissatisfied with her home an’ all of us. She’ll 
git too high an’ mighty to ’sociate with us 
backwoodsers.” 

Mrs. Davidson smiled pleasantly over that. 

“ I don’t feel too high and mighty to live 
here and associate with you all, and I have 
been through this same course that Katie wants 
to take,” she answered. 

Mrs. Carter looked at her critically. 

“ It hain’t made you high an’ mighty, that’s 
a fact, but it has made you a sight different 
from the folks around here. Ef I was right 
shore that Katie would come through it as 
sensible as you have, I wouldn’t mind her 
goin’. We can git along well enough without 


170 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


her school money, an’ ef she’d ruther put it 
into her head than onto her back, why that’s 
her business. I ’low to let my children be 
happy in their own way.” 

Thereafter Mrs. Carter was quite willing to 
agree to her daughters’ plans, and to help 
them along as far as possible, so poor Susie 
grumbled and growled in vain. She was in a 
hopeless minority. 

The preparation of Katie’s wardrobe Tvas a 
thing that occasioned much anxious care and 
thought on the part of the whole family. But 
for Mrs. Davidson’s superior knowledge and 
skill they would have made but sorry work of 
preparing the girl to enter the new and un- 
known world before her. In one of the ‘‘mis- 
sionary boxes ” which an Eastern church had 
sent to the minister’s family was a nice piece 
of black brilliantine. This Mrs. Davidson had 
intended to make into a dress for herself, but 
now she determined to deny herself for the 
sake of helping the girl who was struggling so 
hard to improve herself. 

“ I am sure the good ladies who sent it to 
me would be glad to know that it had gone to 
help a young girl who had proved herself 
worthy of it, and calico will do me just as 
well this winter,” she said to her husband, who 
answered her gently : 


rrro hundred miles apart. 


171 


Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of 
the least of these, my brethren, ye have done 
it unto me.” 

The brilliantine made a best dress for the 
young student, which appeared wonderfullj^ 
beautiful and elegant to her and awakened 
Susie’s unbounded envy. A second-hand blue 
cashmere from the same box was transformed 
into a neat travelling dress. These, together 
with a few simple calicoes for everyday wear, 
formed the sum total of Katie’s outward ap- 
parel. Her entire outfit w^as simple and plain, 
and cost but a very small sum. 

Mrs. Davidson wrote to the principal of her 
alma mater and succeeded in obtaining a place 
for Katie in that institution, with the privilege 
of working out her board and tuition. 

Thus all needful preparations were made, 
and in due course of time Katie said good-bye 
to her home and started out on her chosen 
path in search of wisdom. 

An elderly friend of Mr. James was going 
on a business trip that would take him through 
the town which was Katie’s destination, and 
he kindly promised to take care of the young 
traveller and see her safely to her journey’s 
end. So the little trunk was loaded into the 
spring-wagon very early one September morn- 
ing, and with Jane for a driver the trip to Ver- 


172 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS: 


non was made. A few needed articles were 
here added to Katie’s supply, and the James 
girls made both sisters extremely happy by 
purchasing a pretty hat and wrap as parting 
gifts to their ambitious friend. Jane thought 
no one could look any prettier or more stylish 
than her sister did the next morning as she 
disappeared into the train that soon carried 
her rapidly away. 

An hour later Jane turned back on her 
solitary homeward way. The James girls 
begged her to prolong her visit, but she 
pleaded home duties and could not be pre- 
vailed upon to tarry. In truth she was so 
heartsick and lonely over Katie’s departure 
that she wanted to get away to the solitude 
of the woods where she could give vent to 
her grief. 

So the plodding old horse turned his head 
homeward, and his lonely young driver let 
him go as he pleased while she gave free 
course to her feelings. She had not realized 
how much she would miss her bright sister 
until she had seen the train carry her away, 
then the full sense of her desolation swept over 
her. There was no one at home now to whom 
she could turn for companionship. She and 
Katie had planned and studied and worked 
and hoped together. Now Katie had gone 


TWO HUNDRED MILES APART, 


173 


where she would have the stimulus of other 
better cultivated minds, but for her there was 
only solitude. 

The old horse trudged away to the south- 
west with the one sister, the railroad train flew 
northeast with the other, and night would find 
them two hundred miles apart. To Jane it 
was a limitless distance, measured by the gait 
of her horse. To Katie, on the flying train, it 
did not seem nearly so great, for she did not 
realize the length of distance passed over. 

The loss of Katie’s companionship was not 
the only grief that this parting brought to 
Jane. She had longed with all the strength 
of her nature for the chance to go as Katie had 
gone that morning to see and learn the won- 
derful things of the outside world, to make of 
herself an educated and cultured woman. The 
hope of accomplishing this had been so strong 
that it died hard. All that she desired most 
in life she had given up for the sake of this 
younger sister, and for the sakes of the mother 
and sister at home. The girl on the far-away 
train represented the ambitions of the elder 
sister who plodded through the dense woods 
alone. A sudden comforting thought struck 
the lonely girl : 

I will pretend that Katie is Jane,” she said, 
aloud. I will try to imagine that it is I who 


174 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


went to school. She shall stand in my place 
and I will stand in hers, and when she writes 
of all the beautiful things she sees and learns I 
will try to imagine that I am the one who is 
seeing and learning. Then perhaps I will not 
feel so badly.” 

With such thoughts as these her mind was 
occupied as she travelled slowly homeward. 
It was sundown as she turned the corner of the 
‘‘ little field,” and her spirits rose as she neared 
the shelter and companionship of home. In- 
deed, she was quite cheerful all the evening as 
she recounted the events of her trip to her 
mother and Susie, and waxed eloquent over 
Katie’s nice appearance and the kindness of the 
James girls. She had taken up her cross 
bravely, and was determined to carry it on 
cheerfully, until she could lay it down trium- 
phantly. 

Katie’s journey was a maze of wonders. It 
was well for her that she had so kind and ex- 
perienced a guide as Mr. Burson.to explain the 
difticulties of her way. He taught her the 
mysteries of checks and tickets and transfers, 
and kept her so entertained all the way that 
she did not have a chance to be homesick. 
Arrived at her college town he sought the 
steward of the college, who was at the depot 
to receive incoming students, and placed the 


TWO HUNDRED MILES APART 


175 


young girl in his care. Katie’s heart sank as 
he left her and returned to the train which 
carried him away. The depot was full of 
laughing, chattering girls, but she felt utterly 
alone. Every one seemed to know some one 
else except just herself. 

They all seemed to be “ old girls,” as they 
laughed and jested with the steward during 
their ride in the omnibus in a way that showed 
an everyday acquaintance. 

“ What are we going to have for supper, Mr. 
Andrews ? ” some one asked. 

Samp and dried apples,” was the gentle- 
man’s answer, which was received with screams 
of merriment and groans of pretended dismay. 

“ Girls ! girls ! Here are the ‘ boundaries ! ’ 
Give a last groan for the freedom left behind 
you,” cried another merry voice ; and such a 
dismal groan went round the crowd that even 
Katie was obliged to laugh. 

A few minutes more and they were all 
ushered into the lofty and elegant reception- 
room, where they received a hearty welcome 
from the waiting president and teachers of the 
school. Experienced eyes at once detected the 
lonely ‘^new girl” who had sunk helplessly 
into a chair near the door, and a sweet-faced 
teacher came at once to receive her and put 
her at ease in her new home. It was not long 


17G 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


till the newcomers were dispersed to their 
various rooms, and Katie was introduced to 
the young lady who was to be her roommate. 

The ignorant backwoods girl was fairly 
dazed by the largeness of everything about 
her. The long halls with their multitude of 
doors, the broad stairways, the lofty ceilings, 
the bustle and rush of the numbers of girls 
that thronged the halls filled her with amaze- 
ment. Would she ever get used to this great 
[)lace ? If she left her room would she ever 
be able to find her way back? Would she 
ever fly up and down the stairs and feel as 
much at home as some of these other girls ap- 
peared to do ? Would she ever be able to 
laugh as they did, or would she always be ach- 
ing with suppressed tears? Would she ever 
feel so well acquainted with this very pretty 
and very stylish roommate that she could sit 
down and talk with her as she would with 
Jane? Oh, she wished she were at home. 
She wished her roommate would go away so 
she could take a good hearty cry. 

With such thoughts as these her mind was 
filled as she tried to return intelligible an- 
swers to the coldly polite remarks of the girl 
who was her companion. Both were much re- 
lieved when the sound of the supper bell inter- 
rupted their feeble conversation, and they joined 


TWO HUNDRED MILES APART. 


177 


tlio chattering throng that swept down the 
broad stairways to the large and brightly 
lighted dining-room. 

Thus night found the two widely separated 
sisters, the one in the basement of the humble 
log cabin in the backwoods, the other in the 
spacious dining-room of a great college ; yet 
the heart of the one was with the heart of the 
other, and each was assured of the other’s 
loneliness. 


CHAPTEE XVIIL 


A BIT OF STUDEjSTT LIFE. 

“ I TELL you, Claire, it is perfectly awful. 
I am sure I do not see how I can ever exist. 
Miss Lawrence is just as mean as she can be. 
It was bad enough in her not to let us room 
together this term, after we had promised so 
faithfully that we would keep the rules better. 
When she gave me my choice between rooming 
with Mollie Lane or taking a new girl, of course 
I said the new girl, because I thought nobody 
could be any worse than Mollie. But, oh dear ! 
oh dear ! I wish I had chosen Mollie,’’ and Ethel 
Evans covered her face with her handkerchief, 
and sobbed passionately. Claire Warren wept 
sympathetically, and the two pretty and stylish 
girls presented a doleful picture as they walked 
doAvn the college drive. 

Is she so very, very bad ? ” asked Claire, 
presently. 

‘^Just dreadful!” cried Ethel. “She’s 
straight from the backwoods, and doesn’t 
know the first thing. I don’t see how she 
ever got loose, or how she happened to find 
178 


A BIT OF STUDENT LIFE, 


179 


her way here of all places. And she has the 
horridest things ! Did you see that yellow- 
striped brown calico that she wore down to 
breakfast ? And just think I had to put my 
arm round her and walk down to meals like 
the other girls. I felt like a guy all the 
time.” 

‘‘Maybe she won’t dress so bad always,” 
suggested Claire, comfortingly. 

“ Oh yes, she will. She unpacked her trunk 
this morning and hung her dresses in the 
closet. You just ought to see them. There’s 
a cheap brilliantine that’s made a century out 
of date, and that shabby blue cashmere she 
wore when she came, and three or four countri- 
fied calicos, and that’s all.” 

“ Mercy ! ” ejaculated Claire. 

“An4 she has nothing but those ancient 
linen collars, and I don’t believe she’d know 
what a cuff was if she saw one,” continued 
Ethel, angrily. A new thought disturbed 
Claire’s mind. 

“ Whatever will our set do ? We can’t take 
such a creature into it, and she’ll be forever in 
the way. She may be a regular little tattle- 
tale, and get us into no end of trouble.” 

“ We’ll freeze her out, you may depend upon 
it. The girls will make themselves so uncom- 
fortably superior that she’ll be glad to keep 


180 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


herself out of the way. But I haven’t told 
you the worst of it. I found out this morning 
that she is going to work for her board and 
tuition! Just think of it! Colonel Evans’ 
daughter rooming with a backwoods pauper ! 
Don’t that sound nice ? ” Claire stared at her 
aghast. 

‘‘ Truly ? ” 

‘‘ Truly. I don’t see how I can stand it,” 
and again Ethel gave way to a flood of tears. 

The two girls were out for their morning 
exercise, and were presently joined by others 
of their chosen friends. They belonged to 
what was considered the fast set ” of tlie 
school, the members of which were noted for 
their dilatoriness in study and their disregard 
for rule. The term previous Ethel and Claire 
had been roommates, and their room had been 
headquarters for the outbreaking set. The 
president determined to put a stop to the 
trouble, so at the beginning of this new year 
had separated the girls as widely as the limits 
of the building would permit. No two of 
them were anywhere near together, and all of 
them were placed with roommates whom the 
president thought would refuse to disobey the 
rules of the school. It had been Katie Carter’s 
unhappy lot to be placed with the ring-leader 
of the mutinous crowd, and upon her innocent 


A BIT OF STUDENT LIFE. 


181 


head the wrath of the haughty Miss Evans was 
poured. 

Now they all met in the spacious grounds, 
and condoled with one another on their un- 
happy fate. None of them had fared quite 
so badly as Ethel, in their estimation, and 
they heaped their pity upon her till she felt 
fairly comforted. 

“I’d write to papa and get him to make 
Miss Lawrence change my roommate, if I 
thought it would do any good, but I’m sure it 
wouldn’t. So there’s nothing left for me to do 
only to make the best of it, till the nine weeks 
are over and everybody changes rooms. We 
must try and keep the rules as well as we can, 
girls, and pull the wool over Miss Lawrence’s 
eyes. If she thinks we’ve reformed, maybe 
she’ll change things about to suit us better.” 
They all agreed to this. Then they turned to 
more congenial subjects, and the poor little 
“ backwoods pauper ” was forgotten for the 
time being. 

Katie was quite as much dismayed over the 
situation as Ethel was. Ethel’s fair blonde 
beauty made her more conscious of her “ red 
hair and freckled face.” The young patrician’s 
snowy hands and graceful movements bespoke 
a social rank far different from that to which 
the awkward, sun-brown-handed little plebeian 


182 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


belonged. Ethel’s dainty cashmere and soft 
laces made poor Katie continually conscious 
of the ‘‘ yellow-striped brown calico, stiff collar 
and clumsy shoes” that she was obliged to 
wear. The elegance of the black brilliantine 
faded into insignificance when it appeared 
beside Ethel’s shimmering summer-silk. 

But worse than this was the cold unfriendli- 
ness that surrounded her every moment which 
she was compelled to spend in Ethel’s society. 
The girl would have nothing to do with her, 
and made her feel that her very presence was 
an imposition. Her shy attempts to make 
friends were met by silence or cool reserve. 
Poor Katie felt as if her heart would break. 
There was no one to whom she could turn. 
Home was hopelessly far away. There was 
nothing for her but to plunge deeply into her 
studies, and in them forget her loneliness and 
her humiliation. 

To the credit of some of the girls of Ethel’s 
“ set ” be it said that their hearts were touched 
by the evident sorrow of the newcomer, and 
they strove to be friendly with her, and to 
coax Ethel into a better frame of mind toward 
her. 

Oh she’s a harmless enough little idiot,” the 
angry girl replied. ‘‘ She manages to keep out 
of my way pretty well, and you may be sure I 


A BIT OF STUDENT LIFE, 


183 


give her a wide berth. I guess I can endure 
her till change of rooms.” 

There’s not much ‘ idiot ’ about her, Ethel 
E. Evans, as you would have found out if you 
had taken the pains to see where she stands in 
her studies. She’s two classes ahead of you in 
Latin, and in the rapid-class in algebra. She 
took out all the preps, and several other studies. 
She has brains if she hasn’t good clothes, and 
I’d advise you to thaw out a little and get her 
to help you on some of those fables that make 
you weep, and give you a lift in your problems. 
You’d better appreciate your blessings while 
you have them, and seize the chance to make 
some grades that will win Miss Lawrence’s 
approval,” said the girl who had first spoken. 

Are you fibbing, Maude Morris ? ” de- 
manded Ethel. 

“ Not a bit, Miss Evans. Ask Anna Walker 
if my word does not pass at par.” 

Anna confirmed Maude’s statements and 
Ethel’s face was the picture of blank amaze- 
ment. She was inclined to be more angry 
than ever at the very idea that her despised 
roommate had surpassed her in scholastic rank, 
but she wisely concluded to swallow her wrath 
since there was much for her to gain by the 
opposite course. 

From that day Katie was surprised by the 


184 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


gradual thawing of Ethel’s cold manner toward 
herself. She was so grateful, so eager to win 
the friendship of her roommate, so relieved 
over the improvement in affairs that she did 
not stop to inquire into the cause of the unex- 
pected change. She was delighted to be able 
to help Ethel with her hard sentences and 
knotty problems, and little realized how the 
selfish girl was only using her brains for her 
own advancement, while concealing her dislike 
under the mask of a pretended friendship. It 
mattered not to simple little Katie. Her heart 
expanded, her spirits rose, and college life at 
once became quite endurable. Her happiness 
overflowed in her letters to Jane, and relieved 
the sorrow and indignation which the elder 
sister had felt over the treatment that Katie 
had received. 

Meanwhile Katie was learning many other 
things that made her life much happier. She 
found that with the majority of the students 
brains counted for much more than dress. She 
soon saw that Ethel and her set were looked 
down upon by the more advanced girls. She 
discovered that to be ‘‘Only a prep.” over- 
balanced the advantages of beauty and style. 
More than that her own position as one who 
was working her way did not prove a detri- 
ment to her in the eyes of most of the students. 


A BIT OF STUDENT LIFE, 


185 


They admired her ambition and pluck in thus 
striving against all odds for the education 
which “ the fast set ” failed to appreciate, and 
set her above them in their estimation. 

The change of rooms came as a welcome 
relief, and brought with it a pleasant-faced 
senior, who proved just the friend that Katie 
needed. Kemoved from her uncongenial sur- 
roundings, her whole nature seemed to expand 
and improve. Her new roommate took pleas- 
ure in teaching her the customs of the school, 
in advising her in regard to dress and manners, 
in helping her through the hard places in her 
lessons. Under Ada Morton’s gentle tuition 
Katie’s backward manners and uncouth ways 
rapidly disappeared. During the remainder of 
the year these two roomed together and the 
friendship between them became very strong 
and sincere. 

After the Christmas vacation Ethel Evans 
did not return to the college, and it was 
whispered around among the girls that Miss 
Lawrence had quietly told her that her pres- 
ence was detrimental to the peace of the 
school and therefore no longer desired. 
Beauty, style and social rank availed nothing 
for Ethel Evans, since they were accompanied 
by a selfish and ungovernable spirit. It was 
not long that she was either mourned or 


186 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


missed hy her former associates. She had 
done nothing to impress any of them with 
either affection or respect for herself. She 
had been but a negative character, and when 
nothing ” is taken away from a quantity it 
does not even leave a vacuum behind it. 

Deprived of their leader, and warned by her 
fate, the remainder of the fast set dropped 
their wild pranks and settled down to more 
earnest study. 

The remainder of the school year passed 
uneventfully for Katie. There was an earnest 
round of study and work and a corresponding 
growth of body and mind and soul. By her 
bright spirit, her faithfulness and her genuine 
worth, she won the love and respect of students 
and teachers, and made her life in her new 
home very happy. Ada Morton’s beneficent 
influence over her roommate was not confined 
to mere mental and outward improvement. 
She was a true Christian, and under her tuition 
Katie learned much of the “wisdom from 
above.” Altogether, this first year, which 
began in discouragement and trial and loneli- 
ness, proved a year of great success to the 
young backwoods student, and ended in light 
and cheer. 

At Christmas time a great surprise had come 
in the shape of a beautiful letter of cousinly 


A BIT OF STUDENT LIFE, 


187 


congratulation and well-wishing from Bessie 
Carter, and in it was a check for $25 as a 
Christmas present from the far-away cousin. 
Katie shed tears of thankfulness over this 
letter, not so much on account of the unex- 
pected financial help, as because of the warm 
sympathy which was wrapped within it. The 
money was carefully put away to swell the 
meagre amount which remained toward the 
expense of another year. 

Katie little realized how many pleasures and 
pretty articles of dress Bessie had denied her- 
self that she might have the privilege of send- 
ing this money to help her ambitious cousin, 
but she felt the love that prompted it, and 
understood that this love itself was prompted 
by the spirit of the Master which bids, ‘‘Do 
unto others as you would have them do unto 
you.” 


CHAPTEE XIX. 


IMPROVED OPPORTU]^ITIES. 

As commencement days drew near Katie’s 
mind was sorely troubled by the question of 
what she was to do when school closed. By 
the most rigid economy, aided by Bessie’s 
check, she still had nearly one hundred dol- 
lars. It was positively necessary for her to 
obtain something to do through the summer 
that would not only pay her board, but add a 
little to her purse for the next school year. 
In her perplexity she went to Miss Lawrence 
for counsel, and here she met with sympathy 
and encouragement. 

The president’s first help was given in the 
assurance that Katie might enter the next 
year on the same terms that she then had. 
She also promised that work and working- 
hours should be so lessened and arranged as 
to interfere as little as possible with the time 
demanded for more advanced studies. 

“ I think that it will be quite possible for 
you to obtain work of some kind in town, so 
that you can remain here through the summer 
183 


IMPROVED OPPORTUNITIES, 


189 


and save the expense of travelling to and from 
your home. Are you particular as to the kind 
of work you get ? ” the lady asked, with a little 
smile. 

No, only so it is good, honest work,” Katie 
answered. ‘‘I am used to hard work and am 
not afraid of it.” 

Would you be willing to work in some- 
body’s kitchen ? ” Miss Lawrence asked. 

‘‘ Why not ? ” responded Katie, promptly. 
“ I work in the kitchen here, and I worked in 
the kitchen at home. Would it be out of the 
way to work in some other kitchen ? ” 

Not at all,” replied Miss Lawrence, warmly. 
‘‘ Still, many girls would not look at it in that 
way. They have a horror of kitchen work, 
and consider that a girl is disgraced by having 
it to do. I am glad that you are so sensible. 
It makes it a pleasure rather than a task for 
me to try to help you. It is very annoying to 
attempt to assist those who are hard to please, 
and cranky about the kind of work that is 
offered them. One seldom cares to help 
such people more than once. But since you 
are willing to do any good, honest work, 
I feel sure that I will have no trouble in 
finding a place for you somewhere near 
here.” 

With many thanks Katie left the president’s 


190 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


office, and returned to her room with a light- 
ened heart. 

‘‘ She may not be able to find a place for 
me, and I may have to give up the hope of 
staying another year, but I shall not Avorry 
over it. 

“Just now, I must put my ivhole mind on 
my reviews so that I can pass my examina- 
tions well. If I cannot get a place I can go 
home and teach school again next winter, 
and come back the year after. I Avill not 
take any of Jane’s money, for they need it 
all at home. I can manage some Avay and I 
will.” 

This was Katie’s determination, and she 
Avorked and studied as calmly and cheerily 
during those last days as though she Avere 
sure of the opportunities desired. It was not 
until two days before commencement that 
Miss LaAvrence sent for her. With beating 
heart Katie hurried doAvn to the office, Avon- 
dering much in regard to the position that 
Avas probably to be offered her. Miss LaAA^- 
rence met her with smiling face. 

“ Did you think that I had forgotten you, 
my dear?” 

“ Oh no, indeed,” Katie answered. “ I kneAv 
that you Avere very busy and Avould have but 
little time to spare for me. I did not know 


UIPROVED OPPORTUNITIES. 


191 


whether you would even have time to think 
of me before commencement.” 

^‘But I have thought and spoken too. I 
have a dear friend up town who is an invalid, 
and who has been confined to her chair for 
years. She is quite helpless, and needs a great 
deal of attention. She has a negro nurse who 
has been with her for years, and who does the 
heaviest part of lifting and caring for her, but 
she needs some one else to be more of a com- 
panion for her, some one to read to her and 
write for her, and to be with her when her 
nurse must be absent. The young lady who 
has been with her for two years past has been 
called away by the death of her mother, so 
that Mrs. Porter has only the old nurse with 
her now. I called to see her yesterday, and 
she told me of her loss, and asked if there 
were not some young lady in the college who 
could come to her for the summer. I told 
her about you, and she said at once that she 
thought you might suit her, and asked me to 
bring you to see her. I am going up town 
this afternoon as soon as general exercises are 
over, and if you think you would like the place 
you may go with me to call on Mrs. Porter. 
I am sure you cannot help but like her. As 
for the place, your duties would be confining, 
but they would not be heavy. You could earn 


192 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


your board, and what wages you received could 
mostly be saved to help you next year.” 

Of course Katie did not hesitate a moment 
in saying that she would like to make the call. 
So the arrangement was completed. 

Late in the afternoon the college carriage 
drew up before a large, old-fashioned residence 
on one of the quiet streets of the town. Katie 
had hardly time to note the beauty of the well- 
kept lawn before they were received into the 
house, and ushered into Mrs. Porter’s presence. 

This lady proved to be a sweet faced, snowy 
haired woman whose soft voice told of pa- 
tience, even while the lines on her face bore 
evidence to the frequent presence of extreme 
pain. She was seated in an invalid’s rolling 
chair, and Katie quickly saw how very help- 
less she was. Her welcome was so cordial and 
her face so attractive that the young girl’s 
heart was drawn to her at once, and she felt 
that it would be a pleasure to serve such a 
woman as this. 

There was some ordinary friendly chat be- 
tween Miss Lawrence and her friend in regard 
to the stirring preparations for the coming 
commencement and its attendant duties and 
pleasures. While this was going on Katie had 
time to look about her and form some idea of 
what life would be if spent mostly in this big, 


niPROVED OPPORTUNITIES. 


193 


sunny, airy room, which bore evidence of the 
wealth and culture of its mistress. 

“ I expect I would get very tired sometimes 
and find it very confining : but then the potato 
patch at home was tiresome and confining too, 
and the school teaching also. This surely 
would be pleasanter than either of them.” 

She had no time for further thought as Mrs. 
Porter turned to her and said : 

“ My dear. Miss Lawrence tells me that you 
are an uncommon sort of young lady, inas- 
much as you are anxious for any sort of work. 
So I told her to bring you around that I might 
have the privilege of seeing so sensible a girl. 
Do you think you could stand it to come and 
share my prison and help me to endure my 
confinement and my pain? I warn you that 
I am entirely helpless, and sometimes I am 
nervous — yes, and cross. And I have to be 
waited on* almost constantly. I cannot even 
draw down the shade if the sun shines into my 
eyes, nor pick up my handkerchief if I am so 
careless as to drop it. Do you think you 
could stand it to live in this room all summer 
and not run about as most young girls do ? ” 

If you can stand it for years and bear the 
pain as well, it surely ought not to be hard for 
me to do it for one summer,” Katie answered. 

‘‘Yet many do think it too burdensome to 


194 


FOUR ROADS TO nAPPlNESS. 


endure. Of course you would have some time 
given you for rest and recreation when my 
nurse, Hannah, is with me. You could have 
your books here and go on with your studies 
when I did not need your help; but you would 
liave to be here all the time while Hannah was 
busy at other things, as I cannot be left alone 
many minutes at a time. Do you think you 
could agree to do this ? ” 

Yes,” Katie replied. “ I am willing to try, 
and I will do my best to please you.” 

A long conversation followed, in which the 
questions of wages, recreation hours and similar 
things were settled. It was agreed that the 
arrangement Avas to be tried for a week, and 
at the end of that time, if either party was 
dissatisfied, the compact was to be set aside. 
Katie was to enter upon her duties the day 
after commencement, as Hannah Avas alone in 
charge, and needed the relief tliat her assist- 
ance Avould brins:. 

A long letter Avas Avritten to Jane that 
night, telling of the good fortune of her sister 
in obtaining so good a home for the summer. 

‘‘ I expect to get very tired, and I have no 
doubt that sometimes I Avill Avish myself out 
of the place, but then that can be said of any 
Avork. I am thankful that I have found a 
place Avhere I can earn my board and save 


niPROVED OPPORTUNITIES. 


195 


5vhat Avages I get. Just think. I Avill have 
three dollars a week for twelve weeks, and 
that will make quite enough, with Avhat money 
I have, to take me through next year. Miss 
Lawrence says I will be able to study a good 
deal, and can perliaps prepare myself for ex- 
amination in several branches so as to take 
them out of the course. That will be a great 
help, as I will then not have to crowd my 
studies so much when here. 

‘‘You may be sure I will do my best to 
please Mrs. Porter, and not to disappoint Miss 
Lawrence who has recommended me to her. 

“ I wish I could come home and see you all, 
and be with you in your work this summer ; 
but we cannot spare the money it would cost. 
I want to hurry all 1 can and make the time 
here as short as possible, so that I can be 
ready to lighten your work. There is not a 
day but I remember that, but for your un- 
selfishness, I could not be enjoying all the ad- 
vantages that surround me ; and for your sake, 
Janie dear I am trying to make the most of 
them. 

“ I will write to you as soon as I can after I 
reach my new home, and tell you all about the 
examinations and commencement, and how I 
like my place and everything, else that would 
interest you. Do not worry if my letter is 


106 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


delayed, for I expect it will take several days 
to get fairl}" settled at my new duties.” 

Commencement in itself was an education to 
this young girl. The gathering of cultured 
guests, the decorations, the music, the fine ad- 
dresses, the many little extra arrangements, 
all w^ere subjects of intense interest to her. 

Then there were the final instructions which 
were given to the girls by the careful president, 
in regard to the management of tickets, checks 
and baggage, and, most of all, concerning the 
proper manners to observe by the way and 
^vhat should be done in case of accident or de- 
lays. Although Katie had no immediate need 
for these instructions she stored them away in 
her memory, and they served her in good 
stead when her time to travel came. 

Then came the w^hirl and excitement of 
Commencement Day, which closed in a torrent 
of tears and farewells as most of the students 
departed for their homes. Kight settled down 
over an almost deserted college. 

Katie’s heart sank as she thought of the 
change the morrow w^as to bring. There is 
always a shrinking from a change that leads 
into an untried life, even though it is of our 
own choosing and though we hope to receive 
only good therefrom. So it was with Katie. 
She feared failure, even while she hoped for 


IMPROVED OPPORTUNITIES, 


107 


success. The work before her was all strange. 
She had never had anything to do with sick- 
ness or pain, and now she was going to abide 
in their constant presence. 

She was troubling herself with such fore- 
bodings, when suddenl}^ she thought : 

“ How very foolish I am to worry over im- 
aginary trials. Perhaps I will find my sum- 
mer’s work both pleasant and profitable. If 
it is not, there is no sense in my bearing the 
trial twice — once now in imagination and 
again after awhile in reality. Eeally I won- 
der what has become of my common sense. 
Perhaps I had better go to sleep and let my 
brain accumulate a better supply than it ap- 
pears to have to-night.” 


CHAPTER XX. 


THE CURRICULUM OF SUFFERI]S^G. 

As days passed on Katie became accus- 
tomed to her new home and work, and found 
both far pleasanter than she had anticipated. 

Mrs. Porter was a childless widow, a woman 
of high culture and deep Christian character. 
Ko one could spend even a few moments in 
her presence without being impressed by the 
saintliness of her patient, cheerful face, and 
the sweet earnestness of her voice. Her suf- 
ferings at times were intense, and her help- 
lessness at all times was absolute ; but only the 
snowy hair and the deep lines marked upon 
her face spoke of the hours of anguish which 
she endured. 

“ I suffer enough without having to talk of 
it,” she sometimes said. “ It is hard enough 
to bear at the time without living it over 
again in memory. So I try to forget it all 
when I feel easy, and to enjoy the happiness 
of each restful moment as it comes to me.” 

Unless Mrs. Porter was suffering from one 
of her severe attacks of pain Katie’s services 
198 


THE CUEEICULU3I OF SUFFEEING. 


199 


were not required at night, as old Hannah 
slept on a cot in the little room opening into 
the one occupied by her mistress, and was 
ready to answer her faintest call. So Katie 
occupied the prettiest room she had ever called 
her own, and found it fitted up with every 
dainty toilet accessory. 

Mrs. Porter possessed abundant means, and 
her whole house was furnished in a model 
style. It was surrounded by spacious grounds 
which were kept in the most approved fashion, 
and many hours of the summer were spent by 
Katie in pushing Mrs. Porter’s wheeled chair 
along the gravel walks or sitting beside that 
lady in some shady spot and reading to her. 
These little visits to the outside world were 
the good lady’s only ‘‘ outing,” and were much 
enjoyed both by her and her young compan- 
ion. Other hours were spent in the library or 
the handsome parlors at times when the ces- 
sation of pain made visitors welcome. But 
most of the time was spent in the sunny sit- 
ting-room or in the darkened bedroom, where 
the poor patient form was racked with agony 
and death seemed the only desirable thing. 
It was during these trying hours that Katie 
learned the most valuable of the lessons which 
came to her that summer. The blessedness of 
the ‘Hife which is hid with Christ in God,” 


200 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


was gloriously revealed in the darkened hours 
of suffering, and the joyful looking forward to 
death as only an “ entering into rest ” robbed 
death itself of its terrors. The sweet accept- 
ing of pain and helplessness and inactivity as 
‘‘the best thing’’ ordained by a wise Father, 
and the thankfulness for the blessings that 
remained, proved the satisfactoriness of trust- 
ing in the Lord. 

“ It seems to me that, no matter what comes 
to me in life, I can never again complain,” 
Katie wrote in one of her letters to Jane. “ I 
never was able to realize the blessing of a 
healthy, vigorous body until now. I never 
appreciated how beautiful the world was until 
I was shut into this sick-room, with only a 
glimpse now and then into the freedom and 
sweetness of the outside. I always felt as if 
God had given me nothing ; but here is Mrs. 
Porter, with every advantage of wealth, cul- 
ture and social position, and yet she would 
give them all for such blessings as are mine. 
Just think of it ! I never dreamed that any 
one could envy me. Yet if I were called upon 
to choose between Mrs. Porter’s possessions 
and mine, I would not hesitate a second in re- 
plying, ‘ I will keep my own.’ 

“ I believe one reason why the Lord sent me 
here was to teach me this lesson of being ‘ con- 


THE CURRICULUM OF SUFFERING. 


201 


tent with such things as I have.’ But this 
is not the best thing I have learned. Mrs. 
Porter’s wealth surrounds her with bodily 
comforts, and furnishes her the means of al- 
laying suffering; but her Christian faith up- 
holds her in her hours of most intense pain 
and robs death of all terror. I can never * 
have such earthly wealth as hers, but thank 
God such faith is possible for even me, and 
I have learned to place it above everything 
else.” ' 

Mrs. Porter took great interest in the young 
girl who had come to be her companion, and 
by gentle questioning soon learned the whole 
story of the backwoods home and of the tAvo 
girls Avhose ambitions had reached out after 
the wisdom of the outside world. She learned 
all about the self-denials both were exer- 
cising that Katie might win the coveted edu- 
cation, and her kindly heart went out to spirits 
so in accord Avith her OAvn early ambitions. 
She gave Katie much good advice in regard 
to her student work, and helped her greatly 
in the studies she Avas pursuing in her leisure 
hours. The course of reading Avhich they fol- 
loAved Avas varied to suit the young student, 
and Mrs. Porter’s intelligent explanations and 
comments made fiction, biography, religion 
and science, alike pleasing and instructive. 


202 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


It is not to be supposed that Katie’s summer 
was one of unqualified pleasure. There were 
days and nights when constant, active service 
was required in caring for her suffering mis- 
tress. There were long days when the wooing 
beauty of the outside world made confinement 
in the sick-room almost unbearable, and times 
when the fresh young spirit pined for the free- 
dom of its native woods and wild, active life. 
Sometimes she felt as if she hated books and 
study, and wished she could get away from 
the constant presence of Mrs. Porter and Han- 
nah and see some of the girls ” once more. 
She longed for young companionship and gay 
animal spirits, and chafed at even the advan- 
tages that surrounded her. For Katie Carter 
was only human and possessed the desires of 
a young girl. So, in spite of her attractive 
surroundings and comfortable home, the weeks 
of that summer vacation slipped slowly by and 
September seemed to linger uncommonly. 

As the time drew near for Katie’s return to 
her college work Mrs. Porter’s kindness was 
shown in other ways. One morning, when 
she was feeling uncommonly well, she had 
Hannah and Katie bring dowm a trunk from 
one of the upper rooms, and at her direction 
Katie spread all its contents before her. 

It was filled with beautiful garments of fine 


THE CURRICULUM OF SUFFERING, 


203 


materials and old-fashioned make, and the lady 
fingered many of them lovingly as one by one 
Katie placed them in her lap. 

These are the things I wore when I was a 
young woman and in the vigor of health,” she 
said. This dress was made to wear on a trip 
to the Thousand Isles, and here is one that 
went on a delightful excursion down the Ohio 
Eiver. Here was a favorite street dress, and 
this was my most becoming evening toilet. In 
that box in the bottom you will find my grad- 
uating dress. Take it out and let me see it 
once more.” 

Katie opened the box and shook out the 
folds of the soft white silk that was now 
creamy with age. 

‘^Ah,” the lady sighed, while tears slipped 
over her cheeks, ‘‘how proud I was of that 
dress, and how happy was the day when I first 
Avore it, for I took the valedictory of my class. 
I little thought then that the day Avould come 
Avhen I would be a helpless old woman, con- 
fined to a wheeled-chair and unable even to 
unroll the precious diploma that I received 
that day so joyfully. Ah, well, the Lord 
knows best. And I have no doubt that this 
chair and this pain are only part of the curric- 
ulum that leads to the heavenly diploma.” 

There were a few moments of sad silence 


204 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


while Katie refolded the handsome dress and 
replaced it in its box. The sight of the dresses 
had brought up memories of so many free, 
happy hours that the invalid found it hard to 
control the feelings that swept over her. 

It was only for a little while. Then the 
sweet, patient spirit gained control, and the 
lady said : 

‘‘Kow, my dear, I will tell you why I have 
had you bring these things here. There is no 
use in their lying away in that trunk year 
after year, when they might be doing good to 
some one. I can never use them again my- 
self, yet they are good and handsome and 
capable of much service. So I want you to 
have them to wear while you are at school. 
There are enough of them to supply you 
nicely during the remainder of your course, 
and I will be glad to know that they are being 
of use again. If you are willing to accept 
them I will send for Madame Gilbert, and 
have several of them made over in present 
style for your immediate use. The rest can 
wait till times of future need, and the white 
silk and slippers may see you receive your 
diploma — and I hope they will grace another 
valedictory,’’ she ended, with a smile. 

“ Indeed ! indeed ! Mrs. Porter, you are too 
kind,” Katie cried, while tears rained over 


THE CURRICULUM OF SUFFERING. 


205 


her cheeks. ‘‘ I do not like to take your beau- 
tiful things, when I feel that I have done 
nothing to deserve them.” 

“ What shall I do with them then ?” queried 
the lady, with an amused smile. . Shall I lock 
them away again, only to be a useless care for 
years to come, or shall I give them to Han- 
nah? Can you imagine one of them made 
large enough to fit her portly figure ? And 
what use has she for a graduation dress ? ” 

Katie laughed in spite of her tears. The 
fleshy old negress and the creamy, dainty 
silk were so incongruous that the very idea 
of connecting the two was ludicrous. Mrs. 
Porter laughed also. 

“You see, Katie, you are the only one who 
could receive any benefit from them. I feel 
that it would be wrong for me to store away, 
for moths to eat, these things that might help 
you to make a noble and cultured woman of 
yourself. I will be glad to see you wear them, 
and I will try to imagine that in you I see my 
own ambitious, youthful self. It will be a real 
pleasure to give them to you. Do not deny 
me, my dear.” 

There could be but one answer ; and as 
Katie folded away the beautiful dresses she 
found it hard to realize that all these treas- 
ures were hers, that when she returned to 


206 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


school the girls would have no cause to laugh 
at her poor wardrobe and out-of-the-world 
styles.” The joy of being as well-dressed as 
her companions, which is so dear to every 
girl’s heart, was intensified in Katie’s case, 
since her former mortification had been so 
deep. 

The remaining days of her vacation were 
filled with eager preparations. Under the 
skilled hands of Madame Gilbert several nice 
and serviceable costumes were made, and, 
through Mrs. Porter’s liberality, other gar- 
ments to correspond were furnished. Mrs. 
Porter surveyed the change in Katie’s outward 
appearance with unconcealed satisfaction. 

“ It is all very foolish and unnecessary for 
schoolgirls to rate their fellow-students by the 
clothes they wear, yet a large proportion of 
them are guilty of that very thing. It is all 
wrong, and shows lack of wisdom. Still, 
schoolgirls alone are not to be condemned. 
It is a trait that is common to a large share 
of the world beside, that share which counts 
more on veneer and polish than on genuine 
worth. It is not really worthy of one’s notice, 
yet it makes one uncomfortable and is often a 
serious hindrance in one’s work. I am glad 
that I have been able to remove this unpleas- 
ant drawback from your course, and to free 


THE CUBEICULUM OF SUFFERING. 


207 


you from this extra care and expense. Now, 
if you want to pay me for it, make such good 
grades in your classes and win such a place in 
the school this year as to make me proud of 
my girl.” 

“ I will do my best,” Katie answered, humbly 
and gratefully. If I fail to attain what you 
desire it will not be from lack of effort, but 
merely from lack of ability. I cannot make 
more brains, but I will try to make the best 
use of those I have. Your kindness will be a 
great help and comfort to me, and if at any 
time I get discouraged and faint-hearted a 
glance at my dress will remind me of your 
ambition for me and spur me onward.” 

It was with real regret on both sides that 
Katie left Mrs. Porter and returned to her 
college duties. Even old Hannah sighed over 
her departure and said : 

‘^Whatevah will we do wifout her? She 
seems like she so’ter belongs hyah, an’ the 
house’ll seem lonesome when she ain’t in it.” 


CHAPTEE XXL 


WHAT IS HAPPINESS? 

It was a rainy afternoon in Kansas. The 
wind had been blowing furiously from the 
south all the morning, filling the air with fly- 
ing sand and dust, sweeping the dry leaves and 
weeds into the hedges, howling through the 
budding branches of the cottonwood trees, 
jerking the wheels of the windmills this way 
and that, making the spring day as unpleasant 
as possible for man and beast and every living 
thing. Up and down the long furrows of the 
cornfields the patient men and patient horses 
had toiled ceaselessly in spite of the disagree- 
able gale. The horses had bent their heads to 
the blast and plodded along. The men had 
pulled their hats low over their faces in the 
vain attempt to keep the sand out of their eyes. 

The air was thick and the skj^ obscured by 
the flying sand. The afternoon had opened 
as disagreeably as the morning, but gradually 
had come a falling of the wind and finally a 
complete lull, which allowed the dust to settle 
sufficiently to reveal the heavy bank of clouds 
208 


WHAT IS HAPPINESS? 


209 


rolling up in the northwest and promising re- 
lief from the dust and drouth. There was a 
distant muttering of thunder, then suddenly 
the wind began, blowing furiously from the 
northwest, and the clouds came flying up over 
the sky. “ The wind had got into the cloud,” 
and the rain was close behind it. 

Men hastened to unhitch their teams and 
plows, listers, harrows and planters were left 
in the fields, while man and beast hastened to 
find shelter, which they reached none too soon, 
for the rain came with a dash that equalled 
the fury of the wind. 

The men on Mr. William Carter’s place had 
hurried to the shelter of one of the great 
barns, which they reached just as the rain be- 
gan to fall. 

‘‘ That was a close shave,” exclaimed Tom 
Parker, who was the last one to run his team 
through the great doorway. Just see it pour. 
When it rains in Kansas, it rains — none of 
your polite down-east showers, or soft drizzles, 
but a regular flood of water that would last 
Kew England for a whole season.” 

‘‘ Kansas never does anything by halves,” 
answered Jerry Wilson, who was sitting on an 
upturned half-bushel measure, and digging the 
sand from his eyes with what lie called an 
‘^ecru-colored” handkerchief. “If I could 


210 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


just save the sand I swallow every spring, I’d 
soon have a half-section of my own. Don’t 
my eyes look bright? They’ve been well 
scoured this morning.” 

The rest laughed, for his eyes were blood- 
shot and so full of dust that he could hardly 
open them. 

“ You may as well unharness your horses, 
boys,” said Tom. “ There’ll be no more field 
work this afternoon. The furrows are running 
with water already, and the ground will be too 
sticky to plow. They say in Kansas that it 
‘ only rains at night or on Sundays, so that the 
hired men won’t get any rest,’ but this is one 
time when the hired men are ahead ; so let’s 
enjoy it.” 

The horses were speedily put away, then 
the men went up into the hay-loft and threw 
themselves upon the soft hay to rest. With 
deep satisfaction they lay there in their com- 
fortable shelter, watched the rain pour down 
outside, heard it dash upon the roof and drip 
from the eaves, listened to the coo of the 
pigeons in the dove-cote outside and the 
crunching of the horses’ teeth as they gathered 
up the grains of corn that remained in their 
feed-boxes. 

“ This is fine,” exclaimed Lon Evans. ‘‘ I 
wish it would rain every afternoon.” 


IVITAl^ IS HAPPINESS? 


211 


The rest of the men laughed. 

‘‘ You’d be the first fellow to cr}^ for sun- 
shine and dry Aveather,” retorted Jerry. 
“ You’d be growling because you’d have to get 
out your rubber boots and wade around in 
mud knee deep, and you’d be emigrating to 
the deserts of Arizona before a month was 
out.” 

“ Maybe I would,” answered Lon, good-hu- 
moredly. “I suppose it’s human nature not 
to appreciate what one has. I wonder if there 
is any place on earth Avhich contains all the 
elements of happiness.” 

“ What is happiness ? ” asked Tom. 

“ To go where one pleases, to do what one 
chooses and to have ivhat one wants,” an- 
swered Bob Ellis. 

“ If a fellow had all the money he ivanted, 
he’d soon be able to have all three,” remarked 
Will Carter. 

‘‘ Can you buy happiness ? ” asked Frank 
Sanders. ‘‘ If so, why is it that the rich are 
so seldom happy ? ” 

“ Your question is too wide, Tom,” said Lon. 
“ There can be as many answers to it as there 
are people in the world ; for each one finds 
happiness in his own way, and Avhat pleases 
one would not satisfy another. Now, for in- 
stance, take Frank and me. I like a full pipe, 


2V2 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


a glass of beer, a deck of cards and a few jolly 
boys for company. That’s what I call a rous- 
ing good time. But Frank would rather hav^e 
a Bible, a prayer-meeting, a lot of heathen on 
a foreign shore and the chance of ending up in 
some cannibal stew-pot ! Now, which is hap- 
piness? I’d be miserable if I were he, and 
he’d be miserable if he were 1. How are you 
going to strike a balance, and wouldn’t a 
‘ balance ’ be misery for both of us ? ” 

The men laughed, but Tom was not cor- 
nered. 

‘‘ Your answer is too wide,” he replied. 

Simmer it all down, and tell me what it is 
that makes you happy with cards and beer, 
and makes Frank happy with a Bible and a 
prayer-meeting. There are lots of things that 
we say produce happiness, but what is happi- 
ness itself ? ” 

A silence fell over the group as each tried 
to analyze the feeling that he called happiness, 
and tell just wherein it lay. 

Presently Jerry said, I’d say it meant no 
remorse for the past, no fear for the future, and 
making the best of what a fellow has now.” 

“ It is pleasure without pain,” said a man 
who had not previously spoken. 

“Is that possible?” asked Tom. 

“ I don’t know. You’re getting in too deep 


WHAT IS HAPPINESSf 


213 


for US, Tom,” replied Lon. ‘^Give us your 
opinion, Frank. I’ll wager you’ll say religion 
is happiness.” 

Frank did not answer for a moment ; then 
he said slowly, “The nearest that I can come 
to it is to say that happiness is soul satisfac- 
tion. One may satisfy the cravings of body 
and mind, and yet not be happy ; but if the 
soul — the governing principle of a man — is 
satisfied he will be happy, no matter what else 
he lacks. One man thinks to find happiness 
in wealth ; another, in wisdom ; a third, in 
pleasure ; a fourth, in the fulfillment of all de- 
sires, while still another thinks that perfect 
health would bring perfect happiness. Did 
you never stop to think that the religion of 
Jesus Christ offers all of these things? It is 
the fullness of wisdom, the wealth of the 
spirit, the health of the soul, the fulfillment of 
desire. It holds pleasure without pain, hope 
without fear, joy without sorrow, and com- 
plete satisfaction at last. Yes, Lon, I say that 
in true religion is true happiness.” There was 
silence again for a time, then Lon said, un- 
easily : 

“Didn’t I tell you that’s what he’d say, 
boys? That was a very nice little sermon, 
Frank, and I don’t see as you need to take the 
rest of your college course before starting out 


214 FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 

as a preacher. Being as you’ve been honest, 
I will be too, and own up that cards and beer 
and a ‘ jolly time ’ may seem the height of pleas- 
ure for the time, but there is no satisfaction 
in them after all, and down in the bottom of 
his heart a fellow isn’t really happy even at 
the time. I’ll own my way ain’t the best 
way, still I don’t see as I could enjoy your 
way, even though I know it’s right.” 

That is because you have never tried it,” 
Frank returned, promptly. “If once you 
choose to follow it, you would find increasing 
happiness, and that without end. Can that be 
said of any other road to happiness ? ” 

“ No,” said Jerry. “ There is always an end, 
and there is always some drawback that keeps 
you company by the Avay. I guess, boys, 
Frank is about right.” 

There the subject ended, so far as conversa- 
tion was concerned, but the mind of each man 
in that hay -loft Avent on Avith the discussion. 
Each one Avas asking himself Avhether he Avere 
really happy, and whether the goal for Avhich 
he Avas striving would prove all that he desired 
Avhen at last it was reached. Each acknowl- 
edged to himself that happiness Avas only com- 
parative, and that its perfection could not be 
obtained in this life, and that thought carried 
them forward to a consideration of the pros- 


WHAT IS HAPPINESSf 


215 


pects of the life beyond. It was a strong ser- 
mon that they had all united in preaching 
there in the hay-loft that rainy afternoon. 

It was a sermon that set Will Carter to 
thinking. Thus far in life his one ambition 
had been the acquiring of wealth. He had 
thought that to own a fine farm, well im- 
proved and well stocked, with a good-sized 
bank account, would be the sum total of hap- 
piness. For the first time he questioned the 
thought. Did wealth bring happiness alone, 
and did it not also bring toil and care? 
Would he ever come to the point when he 
could say that he had enough ? His uncle had 
not, and although he owned several fine farms 
and much stock, and much money in bank, he 
still worked and worried and saved as anx- 
iously as ever. Will thought of the money he 
had already saved. Had it done him any 
good ? He had used only what he was obliged 
to have, and the rest had been invested, 
“turned over” and re-invested until it had 
grown surprisingly. He tried to think of 
some particular happiness that had come to 
him through it, but could find none except the 
pleasure of accumulating more and more. 

Along with the thought of his money crept 
a guilty feeling that he had not done the right 
thing by his mother and sisters. He told him- 


216 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


self that he intended all his earnings for them ; 
but conscience whispered, If it is all to be 
theirs, why not give some of it to them now ? 
How do you know that they will live to enjoy 
it at some distant future time when you are 
willing to say that you have enough ? What 
assurance have you that they are not really 
suffering for your help now? You know by 
experience how hard it used to be to make a 
bare living on that poor little farm. And they 
are only girls. Then, how much harder the 
work must be for them than it was for you 
and your father.” They were unpleasant 
thoughts, and he could not shake them off. 
He was glad when the rain ceased and Tom 
said, “ Come on, boys. The rain is over and 
we may as well do up the chores. Mrs. Carter 
is sure to have supper early to-night since she 
knows we are all in from the field, and there 
is no work to hinder us from coming in any 
time.” 

The men scattered at once to their various 
tasks of feeding and caring for the stock, and 
it was not long until the bell announced that 
Tom had been right and that supper was read^^ 

Will lingered in the supper-room to talk 
with Bessie after the rest had gone out. 

“ Bessie, what is happiness ? ” he asked, ab- 
ruptly. 


WHAT IS HAPPINESS? 


217 


“ What a queer question,” Bessie exclaimed. 

I don’t know that I can answer it. Do you 
mean to ask what would make me happy, or 
what is necessary before any one can be 
happy ? ” 

I want a rule for all cases.” 

The girl studied earnestly for awhile. 

“It seems to me,” she said, slowly, “one 
would need to have a clear conscience and be 
sure he was doing just the right thing. One 
can’t do a doubtful thing and feel really easy 
in doing it, but if he knows he is right then 
there is happiness in doing even what other 
people call hard and unpleasant things. In 
my opinion, rightfulness is the main element 
of happiness. I suppose a learned man would 
laugh at that definition, but I can only speak 
so far as I know.” 

“You and Frank think very much alike,” 
Will remarked. 

“That is because Frank and I stand upon 
the same foundation, and look from the same 
point of view. I wish you stood with us, 
Will.” 

Will made no sort of an answer to that ap- 
peal, and was glad that the entrance of others 
put an end to the conversation. 

He went away to his own room and studied 
long and earnestly. He fought a battle with 


218 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


himself that was really the turning-point in his 
history. At its close he went hastily to work 
and wrote a short note to J ane, enclosed in it 
a check for fifty dollars and carried it to his 
uncle, saying, “ Here is a letter I wish you 
would mail when you go to town in the morn- 
ing.” 

Then he turned and went out under the 
stars, and lo ! he found that in that first self- 
denial he had entered the path of rightfulness 
and it was indeed the way of happiness. So 
the question was answered for him. 


CHAPTER XXIL 


BACKWOODS PLEASURES. 

The days of that first winter of Katie’s ab- 
sence from home passed very slowly for Jane. 
For the third time she “had the school ” in 
District ISTo. 12, and as the attendance had in- 
creased her wages had been raised to forty-five 
dollars a month. This amount seemed like a 
little fortune to the family, and Susie grumbled 
loudly because Jane was as saving as ever, and 
refused to spend the extra wages for extra 
things. 

I’m sure I don’t see why you have to be 
so stingy,” she cried. “ There are lots of 
things in the stores down to the Landing that 
I want, and I think you might let me have 
them. Here I have to stay at home and milk 
and churn and slave around, just to let you 
make money to store aw^ay, and to give Katie 
the chance to act the fine lady and lay around 
and do nothing. And I say it ain’t fair.” 

“But Susie,” Jane remonstrated, “you know 
I don’t save my wages to use for myself. It 
is only wise that we keep a little ahead if pos- 

219 


220 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


sible. Suppose one of us should get sick ; 
there would be a doctor’s bill to pay. Suppose 
I should get sick. What would you have to 
live on till I got w^ell ? As for Katie, it isn’t 
right for you to speak, so. She is working 
hard to fit herself for a good position. If she 
has a good education she can draw a fine 
salary, and that will more than make up for 
what she spends now. The teachers at the 
Landing get sixty and seventy-five dollars a 
month. Those at Vernon do as well. Don’t 
you see how much better that is than forty or 
forty -five ? I want Katie to go clear through 
the course, if possible. She will need help 
next fall, and I must save what I can to help 
her through. Don’t we live as well as we 
ever did ? ” 

Oh yes, I guess so,” was the discontented 
reply. ‘‘ It isn’t things to eat that I was talk- 
ing about. Moll Dalton got a new wool dress 
last week and she has a velvet cap with a red 
feather, and she puts on awful airs. I’m just 
as good as she is, and I think I might have 
things as good as hers.” 

“But Moll earned what she has,” Jane sug- 
gested. “She worked out all summer.” 

“ I don’t care if she did,” retorted Susie. “ I 
worked all summer, too, but nobody seems to 
think I deserve anything for it.” Jane saw 


BACKWOODS PLEASURES. 


221 


that further argument would be useless. Susie 
would not be made to see that her own idle- 
ness deprived her of many things which other- 
wise she might have had. There was no 
reason why she could not earn something for 
herself. She was sixteen years old, and large 
and stout for her age. She was not really 
needed at home, for her mother was able to do 
the housework and Jane hired a boy to do 
the field work. 

But Susie would not do anything to help 
herself. She could not teach, for she had per- 
sistently refused to go to school. She would 
not go to work out,” because as somebody’s 
kitchen girl she would be obliged to work 
whether she felt like it or not. So she idled 
about home, or ran about visiting the girls of 
the neighborhood, and found her pleasure in 
consulting only her own feelings and desires. 
She considered herself a young lady, and quite 
old enough to ^4iave beaux” and go to all the 
merry-makings in the vicinity. 

It was on this account that Mollie Dalton’s 
new dress and cap aroused her envy and jeal- 
ousy, for Mollie was Susie’s rival in their 
social circle and had several times received at- 
tentions from young fellows who were Susie’s 
especial favorites. Susie, in her plain calico 
and black straw hat, felt herself no match for 


222 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


Mollie in her flashy finery, and therefore she 
mourned her unhappy fate and grumbled over 
Jane’s ‘‘stinginess.” 

There was a sort of dashing, rustic beauty 
about Susie Carter that made her quite a belle 
in her set. Her dark hair was long and 
abundant, her cheeks were rosy and her eyes 
sparkled when she was animated. She was 
always ready to sing or frolic, and a leader in 
all the “ plays ” with which the young people 
enlivened their taffy-pullings and rag-sewings. 
No one could complain of her inactivity at 
such places as these, and one who had seen 
only her listless ways at home would have been 
surprised at the transformation wrought in her 
by the society of others. 

Susie Carter is not the only girl in the 
United States of whom that might be said. 
There are many whose home and social lives 
differ widely, not only in activity but in dress, 
in manners and in disposition. The girls who 
are all sweetness and courtesy and helpfulness 
in society are too often cross and selfish and 
laz}^ at home. Their smiles and kind deeds are 
put on with their good clothes and aired for 
the commendation of strangers and the over- 
whelming of rivals, while those who love them 
best are treated to cross wordst and unkind 
ways. 


BACKWOODS PLEASURES. 


223 


At heart Susie was not a bad girl. She 
was very 83^11 pathetic toward those in trouble, 
and ready to do an^^thing to help them. 
“ When she felt like it ” she could around 
and work as well as anybody. She loved her 
mother and sisters, but she loved herself more. 

From her early youth she had been accus- 
tomed to place her own comfort and pleasure 
before that of any one else, and the habits of 
selfishness had grown with the years and 
bound her more firmly in their toils. Her life 
had very few pleasures. Her home was situ- 
ated in the little clearing in the woods, with 
no other house in sight. Her days were spent 
with her mother in doing up the little work 
there was to be done about the home. She 
had little to read, even if she had cared to 
spend her time in that way, which she cer- 
tainly did not. There were few places to go. 
‘‘ Preaching ” was held in the church once a 
month. There was Sunday-school every Sun- 
day, and she usually attended it, simply be- 
cause it was ‘‘ some place to go ” and the rest 
of the young people were to be met there. In 
the winter time there were occasional taffy- 
pullings, rag-sewings and apple-parings at the 
homes of the neighbors. In the summer they 
had “ singings,” and once in awhile there was 
a basket-meeting in some grove, which was al- 


224 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


considered a grand occasion among the 
peo[)le. There were frequent spelling-schools 
in the winter evenings, which Susie never 
failed to attend, although she never would 
take part in the exercises. Her knowledge of 
the spelling book was too limited to allow her 
to take the floor,” so she contented herself 
with sitting in the back part of the house and 
talking to “ the boys,” while her rival, Mollie 
Dalton, carried off the honors. This was a 
bitter thing to Susie, although she never would 
acknowledge it. When invited to spell she 
would toss her head and say, Oh dear, no. 
What do I want to spell for? It’s a sight 
more fun to sit back here and watch the rest 
make fools of theirselves. I’ve got far enough 
to walk home, without tirin’ myself to death 
a-standin’ up on the floor all evenin’.” Thus 
she managed to give the impression that it was 
not from lack of ability that she failed to take 
part,” and one young fellow once remarked : 

I’ll bet ef Suse Carter would jest take the 
floor oncet, Moll Dalton would git her walkin’ 
papers in a hurry.” To which his fellows as- 
sented. In this way Mollie’s triumph was 
robbed of its gioiy, and Susie managed to 
‘‘ hold her own ” in the estimation of her com- 
panions. 

Jane did not attend veiy many of these 


BACKWOODS PLEASURES, 


225 


social gatherings in the winter time. After 
walking to and from school, and going through 
the work of the day, she was usually too tired 
to think of taking the long walks that were 
often required. She was only a young girl, 
although Susie looked upon her as quite an old 
maid, and was as fond as any one of lively 
company and fun.” Like most girls twenty 
years of age Jane had her friends among the 
young men, and received more or less atten- 
tion from them. It was the custom in that 
part of Indiana for the girls to go to their 
parties or other places of entertainment in one 
another’s company, perhaps half a dozen to- 
gether. The young men usually gathered to- 
gether in the same way. It was no uncom- 
mon thing to see a group of girls sauntering 
along the road with a group of young men fol- 
lowing within speaking distance. There would 
be much joking and laughter, but the young 
people never ‘‘coupled off” until on their 
homeward trips. As* a general thing the 
young men went with first one girl and then 
another. Whenever a young fellow began to 
confine his attentions to one particular girl, to 
see her home from every place where they met 
and to go home partnerless if she were absent, 
they called it “ keepin’ reg’lar comp’ny,” and 
joked the pair accordingly. 


226 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


Jane Carter was well liked by the young 
men in her community, not only because they 
found her pleasant company, but also because 
she was considered the smartest girl in the 
neighborhood. It was well known that under 
her management the home farm had increased 
in productiveness, and Susie had given every 
one the impression that Jane was saving ^‘a 
pile of money ” out of her school wages. She 
was therefore looked upon as a desirable girl 
by the most sensible young men of the com- 
munity, and several of them vied in striving 
for her favor. Among these was one who 
bore the classical name of Cyrus Smith. He 
was a good, honest, warm-hearted young fel- 
low, industrious and powerful fore-handed,” 
according to the popular verdict. He owned 
a little fifteen-acre farm between the Carter 
place and the Landing, and had already built 
a snug little cabin and a log stable upon it. 
He was a lively, good-humored fellow and a 
great favorite among the young people. There 
was therefore considerable jealousy on the 
part of some of the girls when Cyrus settled 
down to ^^keepin’ reg’lar comp’ny ” with Jane 
Carter. 

‘‘ Cy. means business, you kin depend on that, 
an’ I don’t know as anybody kin blame him. 
Him an’ Jane’ll make a mighty good team, an’ 


BACKWOODS PLEASURES. 


227 


I ’low they’ll pull together pretty stiddy,” one 
young man remarked. 

Jane’s a savin’ her money, as I’ve been 
told, Cy. will git quite a lift when he gits her. 
He’s nobody’s fool, and you kin depend on it 
he knows which side o’ his bread’s buttered. 
I’ll own I wouldn’t mind havin’ his chances 
myself,” returned another young fellow. 

In this way the affairs of the young couple 
were discussed by their friends and neighbors, 
and the whole match was fully settled before 
the two most interested parties had gotten far 
enough along to dream of such a thing. 

Cyrus knew that he considered Jane the 
nicest and likiest ” girl of his acquaintance. 
He would go any distance and through any 
sort of weather if he thought he would have 
the pleasure of meeting her and walking home 
in her company. He knew just what days she 
made her regular trips to the Landing, and 
usually managed to be working near enough 
to the road to have the opportunity to speak 
to her as she passed. He took a sudden inter- 
est in fixing up his place and in doing every- 
thing by which he might make a little money 
to add to his possessions. He did not tell him- 
self that he was in love with the girl. He only 
knew that he took pride in thinking of her as 
‘‘ his girl,” and was unaccountably embarrassed 


228 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


and unable to retort if others teased him about 
her. He thought of her all the time as he 
worked, and unconsciously consulted her taste 
in the arrangement and management of his 
little farm. 


CHAPTEE XXIII. 


A SERVICE OF LOVE. 

Spring had opened drizzly, muddy and 
chilly. The moss was green upon the trunks 
of the forest trees, and lichens and toadstools 
flourished about the decaying logs. The roads 
were almost impassable, and pedestrians found 
it necessary to wind in and out of the corners 
of the rail fences, or in some places were 
obliged to seek a path through the flelds. 
There is no season of the year so depressing as 
the spring in the moist climate of Southern 
Indiana. Ague, rheumatism and neuralgia 
flourish, and the doctors reap their most 
abundant harvest. 

Each day as she toiled to and from her 
school Jane Carter rejoiced to think that the 
term was almost over, and the wearisome 
walks would soon be at an end. She had 
already begun planning her summer’s labors, 
and hoped to have quite a pleasant and profit- 
able vacation from her school work. 

The report of Katie’s success in college, of 
the increasing pleasure in her work and the 

229 


230 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


marks of favor which she received from 
teachers and associates, filled Jane’s heart 
with sisterly pride. She rejoiced in every 
advance which Katie made, and studied ear- 
nestly over the problem of how to keep her in 
school until her course was completed. It 
must be accomplished in some way — but how ? 
That was the point that troubled Jane. She 
considered every possible means of adding to 
her little savings, that Katie might be helped 
as much as she could spare. Sometimes a 
great heartsick longing surged over her to be 
with Katie, to have her loving, intelligent 
companionship, and share in her studies. Her 
old ambition still lived in her breast, and often 
rebelled against the chains that held it down 
to the commonest duties and narrowest bounds 
of life. 

“I cannot bear it, I cannot bear it,” she 
would sometimes cry despairingly. ‘Ht is 
nothing but work and eat and sleep, work and 
eat and sleep. Is this all there is in life for 
me ? Will I never know anything more, will I 
never be anything better, will I never do any- 
thing greater than what the present holds? 
Since God has put this desire in my heart, 
why does he keep me here and shut me in on 
every side ? If he is good, why does he not 
give me good things? Why does he give all 


A SERVICE OF LOVE. 


231 


of liis good things to other people — to many 
who do not care for them and cast them aside 
— when I want them so and would so eagerly 
use them if they were only mine? Is this 
justice ? Is this kindness ? Why is it ? ” 

Poor Jane was not the only mortal who has 
fallen into this slough of despond, this favorite 
pitfall, which the evil one spreads in the path- 
way of those who are serving the Lord. These 
trying questions come to every one at times, 
and many sink beneath . the burden of doubts 
which they produce and give up their efforts 
to continue in the Lord’s way. They fail to 
understand that these mysterious dealings of 
Providence are but the training for higher and 
better things. They cannot see that what 
appears good from their low standpoint may 
be seen to be evil by the Lord who looks from 
above. The truest kindness and love of a 
wise parent is often shown in his withholding 
some hurtful thing upon which his child has 
set its heart. The child who is unhappy with 
the toys it holds would not long be satisfied if 
the thing for which it cries was given it, and 
those who fail to find the blessing in present 
possessions would fall short of happiness and 
success if wider fields were opened to them. 

Jane Carter had no one to explain these 
things to her. She puzzled over them and 


232 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


rebelled at them, -and sometimes almost gave 
up her faith in God. 

“I will not trust him any more. I will not 
pray to him auy more, for he does not 
answer my prayers. I will just go on by my- 
self, and do my own way,” she would say, 
rebelliously. Then her loneliness, her help- 
lessness, her ignorance would dawn upon her. 

If I could only see ahead, if I could only 
know what is best,” and then conscience would 
' whisper : 

God sees. God knows. Trust to him, and 
some day you will understand why your way 
was narrow, and why your prayers were not an- 
swered in just the way you desired. Cast all 
your care upon him, for he careth for you.” 
And for that time the victory would be won, 
and peace would return to her soul. 

For several months after Katie’s departure 
Jane was very lonely. Neither Susie nor her 
mother cared for the things in which she was 
most interested, nor did they favor any of her 
efforts to improve the existing condition of 
things. The sluggishness, the conservatism 
of preceding generations held them in the rut 
of olden customs, and blinded them to the 
advantages to be derived from newer methods 
and more energetic ways. They did not feel 
their limitations because they did not know 


A SERVICE OF LOVE, 


233 


them. Hence Jane’s more advanced ideas met 
with but scant favor, and her efforts were not 
seconded by them. This made her miss Katie’s 
sympathetic companionship the more, and made 
her sister’s weekly letters still more precious. 

As the weeks passed she had grown more 
accustomed to this state of affairs, and had 
overcome her loneliness to a great degree. 

Then Cyrus Smith, with his manly ways 
and his manly friendship, came to fill the 
solitary place in her heart, and life took on a 
rosy tinge for her. She forgot the narrowness 
of her sphere, the thwarting of her ambitions, 
the unpleasant features of her condition. She 
only knew that she was very happy, and did 
not stop to ask the reason why she found life 
so changed. 

So in spite of the disagreeable, depressing 
spring weather she sang cheerily on her way 
to and from school, and looked forward with a 
light heart to the summer that was drawing 
near, feeling some way that further happiness 
was in store for her. 

‘‘ I hain’t been a-feelin’ a bit well to-day,” 
Mrs. Carter said to Jane one evening. “ There 
must be a storm a-comin’. I’ve had sech a 
misery in my bones all day, an’ a kind of 
creepin’ ague all over me. I do hope I hain’t 
a-goin’ to have a spell of chills an’ fever, like I 


234 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


bad three year ago. I wish’t you’d do the 
tendin’ to the milk to-night, Janie, so’s I 
won’t have to go out in the damp. Susie 
hain’t no 'count fer sech work as that. She’s 
too keerless about strippin’ the cows, an’ we 
don’t want to run no risk of drjdn’ them up 
jest now when butter’s sech a good price.” 

“ Don’t worry about them,” Jane answered, 
cheerily. “ I'll tend to them, and you’d better 
just sit here by the fire and keep good and 
warm. Shall I brew you some herb tea now, 
or would you rather wait till after supper ? ” 

“ I’ve been a-settin’ right here, an’ have kep’ 
up a good fire all day, but it seems as if it 
won’t warm me. I guess you may make me 
some tea, and I’ll git to bed an’ see ef I can’t 
git into a sweat.” 

Jane bustled around and soon had her 
mother in bed and as comfortable as possible. 
Then she went out into the darkness and 
dampness of the early dusk, and hurried to do 
up her chores. An undefinable feeling of 
dread came over her, and she could not shake 
it off. Was it possible that her beautiful 
dreams for the vacation so near at hand were 
to be destroyed? She was glad when her 
work was done, and she could join Susie in the 
warmth and light of the basement room. Then 
her depression vanished. 


A SERVICE OF LOVE, 


235 


Mother will be all right in the morning,” 
she said, and she settled down in the big 
rocker before the blazing fire and dreamed 
her happy dreams as she gazed into the glow- 
ing coals. 

But she was mistaken. Morning found her 
mother suffering intensely, and, in spite of the 
falling rain, Jane found it necessary to hitch 
old Jim to the little wagon and start to the 
Landing in search of a doctor. 

Cyrus Smith saw her coming down the 
road as fast as old Jim could make his way 
through the heavy mud, and he hastened to 
meet her. 

“What’s the matter, Janie ? What brings 
you here through this rain, and at this time of 
day ? ” 

Jane explained the situation and Cyrus 
promptly took old Jim by the bridle and 
turned his head toward home. 

“You go right back, Janie,” he said, with 
gentle authority. “ I’m not going to see you 
take such a ride as that through such weather 
as this. Besides, you are needed at home. 
I’ll jump on to my bay colt and I’ll get the 
doctor to your house sooner than you and old 
Jim could get to town. Is there any other 
errand I can do for you in town ? ” 

Jane mentioned a few things she needed for 


236 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


the invalid, and then, after thanking him for 
his kind assistance, started back home. 

There never was such a good, thoughtful 
fellow,” she murmured, as she drove along. 
‘‘There isn’t one fellow in a hundred that 
would be so kind — but then Cy. isn’t like any 
other fellow that ever lived.” Then she looked 
back and waved her hand to the young man 
who was just closing his gate behind him as 
he started for the Landing. 

“ There goes the best and truest girl in all 
God’s green earth. Not one girl in a hundred 
would start out in such weather and over such 
roads as this, but then Janie isn’t like other 
girls.” And he smiled in spite of the dashing 
rain, as his horse splashed on its way, and 
neither he nor Janie thought of the dreari- 
ness of the day, since each was dreaming of 
the other. 

When Jane reached home she found her 
mother much worse, and gratefully thought of 
Cyrus’ wisdom in sending her back. She was 
kept so busy that she did not note the passage 
of time, and was much surprised when Cyrus 
and the doctor arrived. 

It was surprising how many helpful things 
the young man found to do while the old 
doctor was busy with his patient. When all 
of the outdoor work was done, and a generous 


A SERVICE OF LOVE. 


237 


supply of wood carried in, Cyrus sat down in 
the basement and waited for a chance to speak 
with Janie. Presently she came downstairs, 
and her face was very grave. 

‘‘How’s your mother, Janie? Does the 
doctor think she is much sick?” he asked, 
awkwardly. 

“ I’m afraid she’s pretty bad, Cy.,” the girl 
answered. “ He’s afraid of some sort of rheu- 
matism. He says that’s what it will be if it 
runs on. He’s coming back to-night ; so that 
shows he thinks she’s pretty bad. I don’t 
know what I’m to do about my school. This 
is the last week, but I can’t go while mother 
is so bad. Susie can’t take care of her alone.” 

“That’s what I stayed to ask you about. 
Of course you can’t go. You are needed right 
here. So if you would like, I’ll ride over there 
and tell Mr. Watkins how it is. Then I can 
come around by Aunt Phrony West’s and get 
her to come over and help you. She’s a master 
hand in sickness, and I ’low you’ll want some 
experienced body to help you take care of your 
mother.” Jane’s eyes were full of tears as she 
raised them to his face. 

“You’re just the kindest fellow that ever 
lived,” she said, impulsively. “ But it will be 
such a bad ride and it is raining so hard ” — 
with a sudden thought for his welfare. “ I do 


238 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


hate to have you go. Maybe the rain will 
slack up pretty soon, and then it will not be 
such a bad trip. I would like to let Mr. Wat- 
kins know why I am not there, and I would be 
very, very glad of Aunt Phrony’s help, al- 
though I hadn’t thought of sending for her. 
You are so kind, Cy., and I don’t know how 
to thank you enough for your help.” 

The young man’s eyes and voice were very 
tender as he answered, I wouldn’t count any- 
thing too much to do for you, Janie. I’m only 
too glad to be able to help you, and I want 
you to promise to let me know any time you. 
need me. I’ve my overcoat here, so the rain 
won’t hurt me. I guess I’d better go right 
along, and get Aunt Phrony here as soon as 
possible. I’ll stop in and see how j^our mother 
is as I come back.” 

He hurried away without giving Jane time 
to thank him any further, but he carried in his 
heart the memory of the warm, loving look he 
had caught in her eyes, and rejoiced that he 
could prove his devotion to her by serving her 
in this time of need. It was a service of love, 
and therefore a service of pleasure. In such a 
problem as that, service ” is cancelled out, 
and only love and pleasure remain. 


CHAPTER XXIV. 

AN UNFORESEEN TROUBLE. 

In spite of the doctor’s efforts and Aunt 
Phrony’s care Mrs. Carter’s illness was of long 
duration. Jane went back to her school and 
finished up the few remaining days of the 
term. Then she took Aunt Phrony’s place at 
her mother’s bedside. Upon Susie fell the 
brunt of the work in and about the house. 
She did it cheerfully and uncomplainingly at 
first, but as the weeks wore on and her mother 
still continued helpless, she began to grow 
restless and dissatisfied. 

Jane found that under her sister’s careless 
management their revenue from cows and 
chickens was materially decreasing, and gave 
token of ceasing altogether if something was 
not done. So as soon as her mother’s condi- 
tion had improved sufficiently to allow her to 
sit up, Jane resumed the outdoor work, and 
left Susie to do the lighter tasks and wait 
upon the invalid. 

Mrs. Carter was a large, heavy woman, one 

239 


240 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


who had never had any illness more serious 
than a siege of fever and ague, and who, 
therefore, had been heedless in regard to the 
care of her health. She had exposed herself 
needlessly to the changes of the damp climate, 
and planted the seeds of ill-health deeply in 
her system. Now that disease had taken so 
strong a hold upon her she could not shake it 
off. Instead of growing stronger and regain- 
ing her old vigor she found herself condemned 
to sit helplessly in her chair, while her stiff 
and painful joints grew more stiff and painful 
as time went by. She was not a woman to 
accept such a condition either sweetly or pa- 
tiently. 

She grew sharp and querulous. She was 
constantly irritated by Susie’s careless, untidy 
ways, and scolded and fretted because of her 
own inability to remedy the situation. She 
could not interfere so much with Jane’s work, 
as it was mostly out of doors, the care of the 
stock and chickens, the making of the garden, 
and working with milk and butter down at 
the spring, but she worried her continually 
and fretted over the increase in expenses 
which her illness and helplessness caused. 

This last point gave Jane much anxious and 
troubled thought. The doctor’s bill had ren- 
dered it impossible for her to help Katie, and 


AN UNFORESEEN TROUBLE. 


she feared the girl would have to give up her 
studies and return to her backwoods home 
with little prospect of ever being able to re- 
sume her beloved college work. There were 
constant extra expenses, caused by Mrs. t)ar- 
ter’s condition, that made sad inroads into 
Jane’s school money, and the income from the 
farm was materially decreased by the loss of 
her mother’s help and by Susie’s inefficient 
management. 

It was just at this time that Will’s letter 
with its enclosed check reached Jane, and 
lifted the burden that oppressed her. 

The money provided some comforts for the 
mother that had previously been out of reach. 
It also removed the fear that the living for 
the family would be cut short for the year. 

A little later came the word of Katie’s good 
fortune in securing the place at Mrs. Porter’s, 
and of her ability to support herself through 
another college year. Thus the burden of 
care was lifted from Jane’s mind, and life be- 
came bright again. 

During all this time Cyrus Smith was un- 
failing in his kind helpfulness. Jane watched 
for his coming, forgot her trials in his pres- 
ence and relied upon his judgment in her 
work. He was more like a good, faithful 
brother, than a lover, in his ways, and it was 


242 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


long before Jane realized whither affairs were 
drifting. They were standing in the porch 
one afternoon, and he was admiring her flow- 
ers which were in gorgeous bloom. 

“ I never saw any one who could beat you 
at raising posies,” he said. “ Even Mrs. 
Davidson’s ain’t as big and as deep colored as 
yours. It must be the richness of those old 
rotting stumps that makes yours so much nicer 
than hers.” 

‘^Yes,” Jane answered, “I believe the 
stumps have been an advantage after all, 
though I did use to worry over them, and 
think it wasn’t worth while to try to make 
our yard look pretty while they were in it. 
But since I’ve covered them up with vines and 
filled the tops with flowers they are real orna- 
ments. Some of them are getting so rotten 
that they are falling to pieces, and I’m really 
afraid that some day they will all be gone and 
I’ll have to content myself with common 
flower-beds. I hadn’t thought about the de- 
cay of the stump making the flowers nicer, 
but I believe you are right. The flowers im- 
proved the stump, and now the stumps are 
improving the flowers. How strange.” 

‘‘ I didn’t know 3’ou were so fond of stumps, 
Janie, or I wouldn’t have been so particular 
to get them all out of my yard. I can haul 


AN UNFORESEEN TROUBLE. 


243 


some back in, if you think they’d be any ini- 
prov'ement.” 

Jane laughed a little nervously. She had 
not thought of having a controlling interest 
in Cyrus Smith’s dooryard, and the sudden- 
ness of the idea embarrassed her. 

‘‘No, no,” she said. “There are stumps 
enough in people’s lives, as well as their door- 
yards, without putting any needless ones into 
them. It is well enough to make the best of 
those one is obliged to have, without seeking 
for those that don’t belong to us.” 

“ I don’t understand what you mean,” Cyrus 
said, wonderingly. He was half inclined to be 
offended. Did Jane mean to say that she did 
not want to have anything to do with his door- 
yard ? Jane saw that something was wrong, 
and hastened to explain her words by telling 
the story of the stumps and of the lessons she 
had drawn from them. 

“ They’ve helped me ever so much, and they 
still help me every day. Whenever anything 
hard comes to me I try to see how I can make 
it better my life. It is surprising how many 
good things people can find when they’re look- 
ing for them. It seems like the Lord sends 
me a great many stumps, though,” she added, 
sadly. 

“ I wish I could take them all out of your 


244 FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 

life. I hope that some clay I can,” he said, 
tenderly. Then stooping suddenly, he kissed 
her and went away. 

Jane stood motionless where he had left her 
until he disappeared down the road. Then 
snatching up her sunbonnet she hurried away 
to the solitude of the ravine below the spring, 
where she might think over this new happi- 
ness that dawned before her. She realized all 
at once that Cyrus loved her, and that she had 
given her heart to him. The thought was full 
of joy, and life seemed very bright and beauti- 
ful to her that summer day. She dwelt upon 
the tenderness in his tones, and felt again the 
touch of his lips. She thought of his manli- 
ness, his industry, his kindness and faithful- 
ness, and exulted in the thought that she had 
won the love of such a young man as this. 
She dwelt on every event of the past weeks, 
and recalled every word of the conversation 
they had held that afternoon. She smiled 
happily as she remembered his anxiety to ar- 
range even his dooryard to suit her. It Avas 
pleasant to feel that he thought of her as the 
future mistress of his cozy ^little home, and 
she dreamed of how pleasant it would be to 
have his strong arm to shield her from care 
and toil. Susie’s impatient call broke in upon 
her reverie, and she came down from her 


AN UNFORESEEN TROUBLE, 


215 


castles in the air to the commonplace duties 
of the stable and chicken-yard. 

For several days she dreamed her dreams of 
future happiness. Then an unusual spell of 
pain required the doctor’s care for her mother. 
She stood on the porch for a moment as the 
physician was leaving, and asked him : 

“Doctor, how soon do you think mother 
will be able to get about again ? Do you sup- 
pose she will be well enough to do anything 
by the time my school begins this fall ? ” 

The doctor was so slow in answering that 
her heart sank before he uttered a word. He 
seemed to be studying for words to fit the 
gravity of the case. At length he answered ; 

“ Miss Carter, it would not be right for me 
to raise false hopes, only to have you disap- 
pointed. From present indications I do not 
think that your mother will ever be any bet- 
ter than she is. The disease has settled in her 
limbs, and resists all remedies in a way that is 
very discouraging. I do not mean for you to 
get the idea that her life is in any immediate 
danger, for her rheumatism is hardly advanced 
enough to reach her heart as yet. What I 
mean is this, it is very doubtful whether she 
ever recovers the use of her limbs. She may 
live for many ye^rs in just her present condi- 
tion. It is only right that I should tell you 


2ir> FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 

this, for you will have to lay all your plans in 
accord with such a prospect. I sincerely hope 
that some remedy may yet reach her case and 
this trouble be averted, but it now looks ex- 
tremely doubtful.” 

He ^ave her a few directions in regard to 
the efficacy of frequent bathing and rubbing 
the diseased parts and then bowed himself 
away. 

Once more Jane sought the solitude of the 
ravine. She could not face her mother and 
Susie until she had faced the appalling knowl- 
edge of this new and unequalled burden. Her 
mother a helpless cripple for years and years ! 
How dreadful ! What could they do ? Sup- 
pose she could not leave home to teach, how 
would they manage to live ? What would 
become of Katie? Would she have to come 
home and take up the burden ? What a great 
and forbidding “ stump ” the Lord had placed 
in her life this time. Where was the good — 
where was the beauty in this one? What 
would Cyrus say when he heard of it ? Cyrus ? 
A sudden terror swept down upon her at 
thought of him. What did this mean to Cyrus 
and herself ? 

She sprang from the ground where she had 
thrown herself in her grief, and began pacing 
wildly to and fro beneath the trees. The 


AN UNFORESEEN TROUBLE, 


247 


worst of her calamity had only just dawned 
upon her. She had dreamed of some day go- 
ing to be mistress of that little home, to be 
the beloved wife of its owner, to be relieved 
from the strain of toil and anxiety that now 
rested upon her, to be supremely happy all 
the rest of her days. Must all this be given 
up for the sake of the three who were depend- 
ent on her ? Must she break her lover’s heart, 
and her own, by sending him away to live his 
life without her, while she drudged on into a 
dreary old age ? Oh, it must not be ! She 
would not have it so ! She could not bear it ! 

Urged on by her desperate agony she 
tramped away through the woods, heeding 
not where she was going, seeing nothing of 
the beauty and brightness of the summer morn- 
ing. It was winter and night in her soul. 
The bitterness of a human Gethsemane was 
upon her, and beyond it loomed the cross of 
self-denial for the sake of those she loved. 

She threw herself at last upon her knees, 
and in an agony of tears she prayed and 
prayed. It was long before she could gain 
control of herself and look calmly at the pros- 
pect before her. 

C\ams was young, and he was poor. He 
could make life comfortable for her, but it 
would not be right to impose the support of 


248 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


the whole family upon him, with perhaps con- 
stant heavy doctor-bills for years and years. 

No doubt he would be sorry for awhile over 
his loss of her, but he would live to be happy 
and to find some one else to love. She must 
not hamper him, and ruin his life by casting 
this heavy burden upon his shoulders. Since 
God had sent it to her, no doubt he would 
give her strength to bear it, and perhaps some 
day — a long way in the future — she would be 
able to see the blessing in it. It was all very 
dark, but she would trust to him. She could 
not go alone. And with the final cry, ‘‘ O 
Lord, help me ! O Lord, help me ! ” she turned 
toward home. 

The tinkle of a familiar bell in the thicket 
recalled her to present duties, and provided 
her with an excuse for her long absence from 
the house. The cows had found a Aveak place 
in the fence and strayed away from their own 
wood lot. She drove them back again, found 
the weak place in the fence and repaired it, 
then Avent up to the spring and Avas busy with 
her Avork there Avhen Susie came doAvn for 
supplies for dinner. In answer to Susie’s ques- 
tions she replied : 

“Yes — I’ve been crying — some. The doc- 
tor Avorried me by saying that he’s afraid 
mother Avill not be able to get about before 


AN UNFORESEEN TROUBLE, 


2-19 


my school opens. Do you suppose you can 
get along here without me ? I don’t see how 
we can live unless I teach this winter, but it 
will be very hard on you.” 

“You’ll have to teach. There’s no getting 
around that. We’ve got to have the money. 
But, oh dear ! I don’t see how I’ll ever stand it 
to be tied here at home the whole enduring 
winter, with nothing to do but work, work the 
whole time. Nothing ever does happen right 
for me. I think it’s about time for Katie to 
come home and take her share of it. ’Tisn’t 
fair for her to have everything, and me have 
nothing.” 

Jane had already started for the house be- 
fore Susie’s tirade was finished, so the young 
grumbler was unanswered. 

“Does she never think of anybody but her- 
self ?” Jane wondered, drearily. 

Mrs. Carter began complaining as soon as 
Jane entered, because of the latter’s long 
absence. 

“ Where have you been, and what have you 
been doing ? ” she demanded. 

“I was down in Dobson’s woods,” Jane re- 
plied. “ I heard old Brindle’s bell down there, 
and found the cows had broken out. I brought 
them home and mended the fence. Then I 
was busy at the spring till Susie came.” 


250 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


‘‘ Well, I must say you look all tuckered out, 
an’ your face is as red as a turkey gobbler’s. 
You hain’t no business to overheat yourself 
that way. This hain’t no time for you to be 
a gittin’ down sick. But law ! what else kin 
I expect, with me tied here to this cheer an’ 
not able to look after things. I ’low the house 
will come tumbling about our ears some of 
these days. It’s just Carter luck. Draw me 
up to the table, Janie. Susie, lift the dinner, 
an’ be spry about it too. It’s a long while 
between meals when one has nothing to do 
but set and think about it, an’ smell the vittles 
a cookin’.” 

Jane attended to her mother’s wants and 
helped Susie about her work, then she sat 
down to the table and made a pretence of 
eating. 

She feared that her mother would note her 
lack of appetite, and question her in regard to 
it; but some blunder of poor Susie’s turned 
Mrs. Carter’s attention in that direction, and 
Jane escaped unnoticed. 


CHAPTER XXY. 


AN ACCEPTED CROSS. 

About a week later Cyrus Smith stopped at 
the door one evening with a message for Jane 
from the directors of a school for which she 
had applied. They had sent her notice that 
the place had been given to her, and that they 
desired the term to open the first of October. 
Cyrus chatted for a few minutes with Mrs. 
Carter and Susie, then took his leave. 

“Come down to the gate, Janie. I have 
something I want to say to you,” he said to 
the girl who had accompanied him out to the 
porch. Jane felt instinctively what was com- 
ing, and shrank from the ordeal before her. 
The walk to the gate was taken in silence. A 
dumb misery was upon Jane, and Cyrus was 
casting about in his mind for words in which 
to express himself. When they reached the 
gate Jane leaned her arm upon one of the 
posts and waited for him to begin. 

“ Are you going to take the school, Janie ? ” 

It was not the question for which she had 
been looking, and it took her by surprise. 

251 


252 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


Yes. Why ? ” she asked, briefly. 

Can’t your folks get along without your 
teaching ? ” he asked, awkwardly. 

‘‘ No. There isn’t much to be made off the 
farm. Will don’t appear able to do a great 
deal for us, though he has helped considerable 
this summer. Katie has all she can do to 
make her own way, and I can’t think of stop- 
ping her to help us. So you see, I’ll have to 
teach, and I’m ever so much obliged to you for 
coming to tell me about the school.” 

‘^But, Janie,” cried Cyrus, desperately, ‘^I 
don’t want you to teach. I want you to give 
me the right to take care of you and save you 
from such hard work. I can’t bear to see you 
slave so, dear. I love you, and I want you to 
be my wife and come and make my home 
happy. I hain’t half good enough and smart 
enough for you I know, but I love you with all 
my heart and I’ll do my best to make you 
happy. Don’t say no, Jane,” for the girl had 
turned from him and buried her face in her 
arms as she leaned against the post. “ Have I 
made you angry, Janie? Don’t cry so. I 
didn’t mean to make you feel so bad. Won’t 
you tell me what is the matter? I thought 
you cared for me, too, at least I hoped so. 
Don’t be angry with me.” 

O Cy., it isn’t that. How could I be augry 


AK ACCEPTED CROSS, 


253 


with you? Don’t you see, can’t you under- 
stand, how impossible it all is ? The doctor 
says mother may live for years and years as 
she is now. She can never be any better. 
IIow could she and Susie live if I went away 
and left them ? Katie will not be through 
school for three years yet, so she cannot 
help them. Don’t you see how they need 
me ? ” 

‘‘But I need you too, Janie,” he pleaded. 
“Let me do it all in your place. I am 
stronger than you. I would gladly do it for 
your sake.” 

“ Ko, no,” she cried. “ It would not be right 
to burden you so. I will not do it. Ko, no ! ” 
with a passionate gesture, “ I know what you 
would say. You think you would not mind it, 
but you would. You would get very weary of 
the burden. You could never get ahead. You 
would always be run to death, and worried 
with poverty. Ko, Cyrus, it is better that I 
should say, no. My work is here; and the 
Lord would not even bless me with happiness 
if I were either to desert my post, or to shirk 
all my burdens upon your shoulders. Try and 
forget about me. You will not mind, after 
awhile, and I — will — be glad to — see you 
happy and doing well.” Her voice faltered 
dangerously. It was hard to send him away 


254 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


when her heart pleaded for his presence and 
his love. But the case had already been 
Aveighed and settled in these days that had 
passed since the doctor’s warning, and Jane 
felt that she was right. It was all new to 
Cyrus, however, and he begged and pleaded 
Avith her to alter her decision, but in vain. 

“ Then, J anie, I Avill Avait for you. Maybe 
your brother Avill come back, or Katie can take 
your place, or your mother may get Avell. I 
Avill not give you up. I Avill Avait forever, if 
need be,” he cried, passionately. 

‘‘Ko,” Jane answered. “I Avill not let you 
bind yourself that Avay. I knoAV hoAv you feel 
noAv. But ‘ forever ’ is a long time, and you 
Avould get tired of living alone, and you might 
find some one else and — Avish that you had not 
promised me.” 

‘‘I don’t belieA^e you care for me at all,” 
Cyrus exclaimed, angrily. “ If you did you 
could not talk so. Y ou Avould trust me more 
than that. If you don’t care for me say so 
straight out, and be done Avith it, and I’ll be 
satisfied to let you go your oAAm Avay.” 

‘‘ If I did not care so much for your Avelfare 
and your happiness I Avould not send you 
aAvay. I Avould be only too glad to shove my 
burdens upon you. But because I love you 
Avith all my heart I say no^ I will 7iot inarry 


AN ACCEPTED CROSS. 


255 


you. You need not ask me again, for I will 
never change my answer.” Then, because she 
could no longer control herself, she turned 
quickly from him and ran to the house. 

With bowed head Cyrus stood, stunned and 
hurt, for a few minutes. Then he passed 
through the gate, closed it softly behind him 
and went away. 

A few days later Aunt Phrony West came 
in to see Mrs. Carter, and among other things 
she said, Had you heard about Cyrus Smith 
goin’ away? You hadn’t? I ’lowed mebbe 
you knowed all about it. But he has — cleared 
plum out. Sold his team an’ his place an’ 
ever’thing, ah’ jest gone clean off, nobody 
knows where. My John Henry seen him down 
to the Landing a-waitin’ fer the boat, an’ he 
said he was goin’ off in search of a fortune. I 
wouldn’t a-ben surprised at any of the other 
boys of the neighborhood a-doin’ sech a crazy 
thing, but Cy.’s alius ben so stiddy that it 
plum took my breath away when I heerd of 
him a-flyin’ the track. It shows one can’t de- 
pend on nobody, nowadays.” 

Jane was sitting on the doorstep with a pan 
of apples in her lap, preparing apple-sauce for 
dinner, and she was thankful that her sunbon- 
net hid her face from Aunt Phrony’s eyes, for 
she felt that they were upon her. 


256 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


Did you know that he was a-goin’, Janie ? ” 
her mother inquired, bluntly. 

“ No. I have not seen him since that even- 
ing he stopped at the door to tell me about the 
school. He never said a word then about go- 
ing away,” she answered, steadily. 

‘‘Well, all I hev to say is, it’s mighty queer. 
A sudden notion must have took him. All I 
hope is he’ll do better’n Will has. He don’t 
appear to be makin’ a fortune very fast.” 

The two old friends strayed off to a discus- 
sion of Will and his supposed ill-fortune, and 
Cyrus Smith was forgotten. 

Jane finished her apple-sauce and put it on 
to cook, then took her bucket and went down 
to the spring. The tears fell fast from be- 
neath the old blue sunbonnet as she went 
about her tasks. Her heart was very heavy. 
Cyrus had taken her at her word and gone 
away forever. She had not thought of his go- 
ing clear away. She had thought to have the 
joy of seeing him — of speaking to him occa- 
sionally. But now he had gone where she 
Avould never see him again, and, worst of all, 
his parting words had been words of anger. 
It lacked many hours of sundown that bright 
September day, but night had already closed 
down over Jane’s desolate heart. For weeks 
she looked eagerly forward to mail-day, hoping 


AN ACCEPTED CROSS. 


257 


that he would send her a letter — just a few 
lines to let her know where he was and that he 
was not angry with her ; but the letter never 
came, and hope died in her heart. She took up 
the dull round of school-work, and strove by 
hard labor to forget the sorrow that had come 
to her. There was only one comfort for her, 
and she rested her soul upon it — she had done 
right. She had given up her own selfish in- 
terests for the sake of her mother and sisters, 
and for the sake of Cyrus himself. She 
grieved for herself, but she was glad for them, 
and she felt that God approved of her sacri- 
fice. 

I will not grieve and worry,” she said to 
herself, one day as she tended her flowers. 

God knows what is best for all of us, and I 
can depend on his love and his help. These 
stumps look bare and desolate now, since the 
frost has touched the flowers ; but when spring 
comes the flowers will bloom again, and hide 
their ugliness. So I will wait patiently. I 
must remember what Cyrus said about the 
ugly stumps making the blossoms more beauti- 
ful. Perhaps that is what God intends in my 
life, but — it is hard after all.” Her tears fell 
even as she spoke. She was but a young girl, 
and her heart went out after the only lover she 
had ever known. 


258 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


There was very little but hard work in Jane’s 
life that winter. There were the customary 
gatherings of the young people, but both girls 
could not go and leave their mother alone. 

I stay cooped up here all day, and never 
see a bit of fun — nothing but work — and 
mother scolding all the time,” Susie said, 
petulantly. “ It’s only fair for you to stay at 
night, and let me go and have some fun. 
You’re tired anj^way, after walking so far to 
school, and Cyrus isn’t here any more ; so I 
shouldn’t think you’d mind staying at home.” 
So Jane remained with her mother, and Susie 
flew about among the young people, finding 
her highest happiness in the gratification of 
her own selfish desires. 

Bright letters came frequently from Katie, 
telling of her work in school and of her happi- 
ness in the pursuit of knowledge. At Mrs. 
Porter’s desire she spent her Christmas vaca- 
tion at that lady’s home, and the friendship 
between the young girl and the invalid was 
greatly strengthened. 

‘‘I am to spend next summer with her,” 
Katie wrote. ‘‘ And she promises that she will 
see that I have sufficient means to take me 
through another year. It does seem as if God 
opens up the way of Avisdom steadily before 
me. I thank him for it, even Avhile I cannot 


AN ACCEPTED CROSS, 


259 


but wonder at the favor he shows to me. But 
Janie, dear, in all niy searching I have found 
that there is no better wisdom than ‘ the wis- 
dom that cometh down from above,’ and I 
strive at all times to make it my first aim in 
life. I am very happy, but I do not forget 
that I owe all this to you. Some day I hope 
to take your place, and repay you for all that 
you have made possible for me.” 

And Jane’s heart was comforted, and she 
learned that, in spite of disappointment and 
self-denial, life might have a happiness and 
peace that come only from the knowledge of 
right doing. 

Early in the summer came a sad letter from 
Katie telling of the sudden death of her friend 
and benefactress. It also contained the sur- 
prising news that Mrs. Porter had left Katie 
means enough to finish her desired course, and 
give her beside a few extra branches which she 
had greatly coveted, but which she had deemed 
beyond her reach. 

Jane’s heart bounded with joy. Katie’s 
future was assured, and that much care was 
lifted from her burden. 

Her chief anxiety now was for Susie. The 
girl was wayward and willful, and inclined to 
go with wild companions. Jane’s remon- 
strances were of no avail, and her mother’s 


260 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


scoldings only drove Susie forward in her 
course. As soon as school had closed she had 
shifted the burden of her home duties upon 
Jane, doing only what she chose, and running 
about the neighborhood much as she had done 
before her mother’s illness. In her ignorance 
she craved nothing better than the mild excite- 
ments she enjoyed. She would walk miles to 
attend a simple singing-party, and the “ kiss- 
ing plays ” of a taffy-pulling were the wildest 
dissipation with her. There was nothing 
really bad about the girl. She was only a 
foolish young thing, swayed by the impulse of 
the moment, and setting up the gratification 
of her passing whims as the perfection of 
earthly happiness. After all she differed only 
in degree from many who are more highly 
cultured and have greater opportunities. 


CHAPTETi XXYL 


A KASH STEP. 

“Ef I was you, I jest wouldn’t do it. 
’Tain’t fair for you to have to stick at home 
an’ work like a nigger the whole endurin’ 
time, an’ wear common old duds, with her 
a-actin’ the fine lady an’ wearin’ good clo’es 
an’ doin’ nothin’ ; an’, if I was you I’d jest let 
’em know I wasn’t a-goin’ to put up with it a 
bit longer. You’re jest as good as Katie any 
day; an’ I say, an’ ever’body says ’tain’t fair 
the way she’s a-treatin’ you an’ Jane.” 

I wouldn’t mind it, Lize, if I thought 
there’d ever be any end to it, or if mother 
would jest git well again. But Katie’s got two 
years more to go to school, an’ mother jest sets 
there an’ scolds the whole endurin’ day. I 
can’t do a thing to please her. An’ Jane’s got 
so awful particular about the butter makin’ 
that it’s a perfect nuisance. She’s got so that 
every roll has to be made jest a certain size, 
an’ ever’ one wrapped by itself in a butter 
cloth an’ then packed jest so in the jar ; an’ if 
’tain’t done that way it’s all got to be done 

261 


262 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


over. To be sure, she gets more for it, but 
then it’s an awful sight of trouble, an’ I 
don’t think the extry money pays for the 
extry work.’^ 

Susie’s tones were very complaining as she 
poured this woeful story into the ears of her 
confidential friend, Lize Barker. She had 
been over to spend the afternoon with Lize, 
and now the latter was goin’ a piece ” with 
her on her road home. 

“ It don’t,” was Lize’s forcible reply to 
Susie’s concluding remark. What does five 
cents a pound more for butter amount to ? ” 

“ Ten cents,” corrected Susie. 

Well, ten cents a pound, then. What does 
ten cents a pound amount to in a year. You’d 
hev to sell a thousand pounds to make a hun- 
dred dollars extry, an’ you know you don’t 
anywheres nigh do that. Air you a-goin’ to 
work hours an’ hours for nothing ? I wouldn’t. 
Ef Jane wants it done that way I’d jest let 
her do it herself, or hev Katie come home an’ 
do it fer her. But law ! when Katie does come 
home you’ll see whether she’ll work any. 
She’ll be too fine to ’sociate with the rest of 
us, an’ she won’t want to dirty her white 
hands in hoein’ in the gyarden or workin’ in 
greasy butter. You needn’t set your heart on 
Katie helpin’ you out any.” 


A BASH STEP, 


2G3 


Lize spoke spitefully, for down in the bot- 
tom of her heart she cherished an old grudge 
against Katie Carter for surpassing her in 
school, and more than once spelling her down 
in the district spelling matches. She also had 
an especial reason of her own for increasing 
Susie’s dissatisfaction and encouraging her to 
rebel against the state of affairs at home. It 
was this latter reason that bore chief weight 
this afternoon as she walked home with her 
friend. 

‘‘Ef I was you, I wouldn’t stand it a bit 
longer. There ain’t any sense in you a-stayin’ 
there and a-wearin’ yourself out for Katie, 
when ef you’d jest say the word, you could git 
out of it in a minute an’ live easy all the rest 
of your life.” 

I’m shore I don’t see how I can git out of 
it,” sighed Susie. ‘‘ I’d do it in a minute, ef I 
could.” 

Law, now ! I kin tell you. Budd’s jest 
a-dyin’ to marry you. He’d do jest anything 
for you, ef you’d only say you’d have him, an’ 
he’d see to it that you shouldn’t never have 
to work so hard. Uncle Jake’s a-goin’ to 
move to the Landin’ to work in the cooper 
shops, an’ he’s give Budd the rentin’ of his 
place ef he wants it. An’ Budd, he says to 
me las’ night, ^ Lize, ef I thought Suse ’d 


264 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


marry me, I’d rent that place in a powerful 
hurry.’ ” 

“ I don’t know ’bout gittin’ married,” replied 
blushing Susie. “ ’Tain’t no fun to settle down 
an’ be old folks, an’ not run around any more, 
an’ hev to stay at home an’ work all the time. 
’Tain’t that I don’t think a heap of Budd — 
’tain’t that,” she added quickly, as she saw the 
frown on Lize’s brow. You know I think as 
much of Budd as you do of Jake Hopkins — 
but then — but then — I don’t know about mar- 
ry in’ him, not jest now, anyway.” 

“Well,” responded Lize, with a toss of her 
head, “ you kin do jest as you please, but I’ll 
warn you to keep a weather eye out while 
you’re a-foolin’ round an’ a-puttin’ Budd off 
fer nothin’, Moll Dalton would give the 
whole world to git him, an’ she’s jest a-layin’ 
herself out to cut you out. It was only yes- 
terday she was over to our house, as sweet as 
you please, an’ all dressed up in a new pink 
calico; an’ she fooled around an’ stayed so late 
that Budd had to walk home with her. That’s 
the way she’s a-workin’. An’ when a fellow 
like Budd Barker has made up his mind that 
he’s a-goin’ to settle down fer hisself, ef he 
can’t git the girl he’s after, he’s mighty apt to 
take the girl that’s after him. That’s all I’ve 
got to say. 


A J^ASIl STEP. 


2G5 


“Here’s the forks, so I’ll hev to go back. 
You jest think about what I’ve told you.” 

Lize turned abruptly and went back home. 
Susie walked slowly along her homeward road, 
and pondered on Avhat had been said. Budd 
Barker had been her especial company for 
some time past. He had at one time been 
devoted to Mollie Dalton, but Susie had man- 
aged to divert his attentions to herself, and 
had been extremely elated by his growing 
preference for her society. He was a dashing 
sort of fellow, with black eyes and curling 
black hair which he combed down over his 
forehead in a style which the neighborhood 
girls considered irresistible. He was wild and 
reckless and not unduly fond of hard Avork ; 
and it Avas even Avhispered about the com- 
munity that he had been seen in the saloon at 
the Landing more than once. But, for all that, 
he was a supreme favorite Avith the girls of the 
district, all of whom Avere more or less jealous 
of Susie because of the preference he showed 
for her. 

Lize had been shreAvd enough to guess that 
there was no surer Avay of persuading Susie to 
marry her brother than to hint that there Avas 
imminent danger of her losing him altogether. 
Hence the story of Moll’s Ausit, Avhich she 
invented solely for the occasion. 


266 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


Susie’s blood was at fever heat. Moll 
Dalton take Budd Barker away from her? 
Not much. She’d die before she’d let her do 
that. It was mean for her to have to stay at 
home and work hard while Katie did nothing. 
And Budd did love her — he’d said so more than 
once — and she was sure he’d be good to her if 
she married him. And there wouldn’t be 
much work. Just keeping house for the two 
of them. And, anyway, Moll Dalton shouldn’t 
cut her out.” 

These were her thoughts as she walked 
along. All at once Budd appeared, coming 
whistling along the road in front of her 
apparently not expecting to meet her. How 
was Susie to know that his coming at this 
moment was only a part of the scheme which 
the brother and sister had arranged, and which 
Lize had worked successfully so far ? The girl 
blushed as the young man met her, and her 
face showed unmistakable pleasure at his pres- 
ence. Budd understood at once that the ad- 
vantage was all his. He expressed his regrets 
at being away from home when she was there, 
and vowed he’d make up for his disappointment 
by walking home with her, which was quite 
agreeable to Susie. 

It is needless to chronicle the conversation 
that passed between them as they went slowly 


A UASH STEP. 


267 


along. It is sufficient to relate that a feAV 
days later Susie left home ^Ho go and see 
Lize,” and when she came back Budd came 
with her and they announced that they had 
been to the Landing and been married by the 
justice of the peace. 

Mrs. Carter scolded furiously over the an- 
nouncement which had little effect on her 
obstinate daughter. Jane was overwhelmed 
Avith sorrow and dismay. She expressed a 
little of it to Susie, as they went away to 
pack up the young bride’s belongings. 

‘‘ How could you do it, Susie ? How could 
you ? Why, you’re hardly more than a child 
yet. Why should you settle down to be an 
old Avoman so soon ? I’m afraid you’ve made 
trouble for yourself, too, if Avhat folks say 
about Budd is true. I’m afraid he Avon’t be 
good to you, and that you’ll have a hard life 
of it. O Susie, how could you do such a 
thing ? ” 

Susie Avas more troubled than she cared to 
confess. She Avas only just beginning to 
realize the rashness and the irrevocableness 
of the step she had taken, and Jane’s Avords 
awakened unpleasant forebodings. Still, she 
had sought her own selfish happiness and was 
determined to assure herself that she had 
gained it. So she fortified herself by saying ; 


268 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


‘‘Well, I cared too much for Budd to lot 
Moll Dalton take him away from me, so I jest 
took him for good an’ all. Besides, I was 
tired of workin’ here with mother scoldin’ an’ 
Katie away doin’ nothin’, an’ I jest concluded 
I wouldn’t stand it no longer. Budd has taken 
his Uncle Jake’s place an’ we’re goin’ to set up 
housekeepin’ there next week. I’m goin’ to 
have things easy after this.” 

“I hope so,” replied Jane, sadly. “I truly 
hope so, Susie dear. If I was sure you would 
always be happy I wouldn’t say a word. I 
would only be glad for you.” 

“You needn’t worry yourself about me, 
Janie,” said Susie, penitently. “ I’m sure I’m 
happy now, an’ that I always will be. Don’t 
you worry about me one bit. Jest come over 
to my house once in awhile an’ see for your- 
self if I ain’t happy.” 

There was not much more of the conversa- 
tion. Jane’s heart was too heavy for words, 
and Susie was eager to get the dreaded inter- 
view over and get away to her new home. 
Jane watched the young couple go down the 
road till they passed from sight ; then, drop- 
ping dowm on the porch steps, she buried her 
face in her arms and wept bitterly. A feeling 
of utter desolation and helplessness swept over 
her. Her last helper was gone. How was 


A RASH STEP. 


269 


she to care for her invalid mother and yet 
make a living for them both ? Katie must not 
come home — she must not. That was not to 
be considered for a moment. Just when the 
way had been opened for her to complete her 
course this trouble had come ; but it should 
not be allowed to interfere. 

Jane’s meditations were interrupted by her 
mother’s call and she responded at once. 

“Kow whatever air we to do, Janie?” was 
the question that greeted her. ‘‘ It did seem 
as if we had things hard enough before, with- 
out bein’ left in this shape. Whatever air we 
to do ? Me helpless an’ crippled an’ not even 
able to do fer myself, an’ you with ever’thing 
on your hands, an’ the livin’ to make besides. 
I don’t see fer the life of me how it’s to be 
done.” 

‘‘It does seem hard, mother, but we’ll get 
along some way. We have the Lord yet to 
help us, and I am sure if we trust him that 
everything will come out right.” 

“Well, I don’t know. You appear to have 
a good deal of faith in the Lord — more’n I’ve 
got — but I can’t see as he’s helped us much so 
far.” 

“ Hasn’t he helped me to get a good school 
every winter, and given me the health and 
strength to earn a living for us all ? And 


270 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


hasn’t he blessed Katie wonderfully and 
helped her along in ways that we didn’t ex- 
pect ? ” 

Oh yes, I s’pose he has, ef you give him all 
the credit an’ don’t take none fer yourselves. 
But what’s he done fer me and fer Will ? An’ 
Avhat sort of goodness is this that he’s showed 
to Susie ? ” grumbled the invalid. 

‘‘Your sickness is hard,” Jane assented, 
tenderly. “ But I am sure that somewhere in 
store is a blessing to make up for all of it, if 
we only accept it as God’s best plan for us. 
As for Susie, that’s hard to see. I’m afraid 
she’s been so willful that the Lord’s given up 
to let her have her own way. Just to let her 
learn how much better it would have been if 
she had waited to let him work out her life for 
her.” 

“ I’m afeard of it too. Susie never was 
happy onless she was havin’ her own way. 
I’m sure I don’t know where she got sech a 
selfish disposition. I’m certain ’twan’t from 
the Ferguson side of the family. But I do 
know that her selfishness hain’t made her 
overly happy so far, an’ I doubt whether she 
finds that it will this time.” 

“We can only hope for the best, mother, 
and pray to the Lord to save her from herself. 
If she will only learn to look to him it will 


A RASH STEP. 


271 


come out all right in the end. Anyway, we 
have one another left, and we’ll try to be 
happy here together and make the most of 
what is left to us. 

“Now, let me make you cozy and comfort- 
able, so that you can get along by yourself 
while I fly round and do up the chores. I’ll 
have to do all the work now, and you will 
have to do the planning for me.” Jane spoke 
as cheerily as possible, and did everything she 
could for her mother’s comfort in her absence. 
Then with a loving kiss she went away to her 
outdoor work. 

Mrs. Carter looked after her with tears in 
her eyes. 

“Well, ef there’s any blessin’ in my life, it’s 
in havin’ a girl like Jane who finds her happi- 
ness in makin’ happiness fer other people. 
She’s learned the Lord’s way fer sure.” 


CHAPTEE XXVIL 


TWO CONCLUSIONS. 

The very week after Susie’s departure came 
another letter from Will, with a check which 
filled Jane’s burdened heart with joy. 

The letter was brief, but it held a great deal 
in its few lines. It said : 

Dear Jane: 

Enclosed is a check for fifty dollars 
which I hope you will find of some help to you 
all. When it is gone, let me know, and you 
shall have more. I ought to have sent money 
to you long ago, only — I might as well own 
up — I was trying to keep every cent so as to 
make more, and I never could see the time 
when I was willing to spare any. 

But I’ve learned that hoarding up money 
for one’s self alone donH pay^ and that it 
don’t make a fellow truly happy. I have 
learned to believe that ^‘The blessing of the 
Lord it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow 
with it.” I have also found that to be happy, 
one has to be right first, and that the true way 
to gain happiness is to give it away. Forgive 
my past selfishness, and I will try, God help- 
ing me, to do better in the future. 

Your loving brother, 

Will. 


272 


TWO CONCLUSIONS. 


273 


Tears were rolling down Jane’s cheeks as 
she finished reading this letter to her mother. 

‘‘Just see how we were wronging the Lord 
in our thoughts, mother. He was blessing 
Will all the time, and we didn’t know it. And 
just when we were despairing for ourselves he 
has sent us this help. Can we doubt him any 
more ? ” 

The invalid was turning the check over and 
over. That little piece of paper meant so 
much to them, and it had come so unexpect- 
edly, that she was fairly overwhelmed. 

“It does look as if he was caring for us, 
after all,” she admitted. 

“I know it,” Jane answered, brightly. “I 
shall not let the stump of doubt spoil my door- 
yard any more.” 

Her mother looked at her in amazement. 
Jane saw the look, and hastened to explain her 
meaning. The mother’s eyes were full of tears 
when the daughter had finished. 

“ I alius wondered why you chose to plant 
your flowers in such queer places, instid of 
makin’ smooth beds for ’em, like other people do. 
But it’s a pretty notion, an’ the flowers do hide 
tlie stumps and make the yard look better. 
I’ll think of it ever’ time I look at ’em now.” 

So all through the summer while Jane was 
busy at her tasks, the helpless woman sat beside 


274 


FOUli ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


the window and the flower-covered stumps 
preached a silent sermon to her heart. 

Jane found life very busy after Susie left. 
Everything about the place was left for her to 
do. She could no longer run about the neigh- 
borhood, as young girls are fond of doing 
sometimes, nor go to the Landing on her ac- 
customed trips. Teaching was entirely out of 
the question. So she settled down to make as 
much as possible from her little farm, her 
garden, her coavs and her chickens. The Avants 
of her mother and herself were feAv and simple. 
Medicine and medical attendance for the in- 
valid Avere the greatest drain on their re- 
sources. 

Jane’s only fear Avas that sometime she her- 
self might be taken sick, and then they would 
be left perfectly helpless : but she put the 
thought from her as unworthy of a child of 
God, and stayed her soul on the promise : 
“ My grace is sufficient for thee ; for my 
strength is made perfect in Aveakness.” With 
a thrill of joy she added the remainder of the 
text : ‘‘ Most gladly, therefore Avill I rather 
glory in my infirmities, that the power of 
Christ may rest upon me.” 

Her life Avas so busy that she had no time 
to fret over her narrow sphere, or the things 
Avhich the Lord had denied to her. She found 


TWO CONCLUSIONS. 


275 


her happiness in caring for her mother and in 
doing all she could to cheer the weary life of 
the invalid. If tempted to grieve over her 
own limitations, she shamed herself by saying : 
‘‘ Why should I grumble ? Poor mother has 
to sit day after day in her chair and be racked 
with pain ; while I am free to go everywhere 
to enjoy the beautiful things around me, to 
rest myself by exercise, and to suffer no pain. 
I have less than many people in the world, 
yet how much more I have than she can enjoy. 
Why should I grumble ? ” And so she sang 
about her work, and her constant smile cheered 
not only her mother, but all others who came 
into her presence. 

Aunt Phrony West was faithful in her 
friendship, coming frequently to sit with Mrs. 
Carter so as to give Jane a chance to run over 
and see Susie,” or take a needed trip to the 
Landing. The trips to the Landing sent her 
home with an ache in her heart ; for the sight 
of Cyrus Smith’s deserted farm and vacant 
cabin brought up the sorrow that she had 
tried so hard to put away from her. No word 
had ever come from him except in a postscript 
to one of W ill’s letters, which said : 

Whom do you suppose I met on the streets 
of Wichita last week ? Nobody more nor less 
than Cyrus Smith who used to live near the 


276 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


Landing. I found he had been in Kansas for 
over a year, and was doing fairly well. He 
has a place over in the Arkansas valley, and 
hopes to be able to pay out on it in a couple of 
years if he has good crops. I’m going over to 
see him some of these days. I didn’t know 
him very well when I was at home, but it was 
nice to see some one who had come from there 
lately, and could tell me about everybody.” 

That was all. Jane had eagerly hoped to 
learn more. But the meeting had soon been 
forgotten by her brother, and the visit to the 
Arkansas valley had never been paid. It was 
a joy to know where Cyrus was and that he 
was doing well, but she longed to know 
whether he had forgotten her, and whether he 
had taken her advice to ‘‘ look for some other 
girl to take her place in his heart.” 

So she passed the little cabin with a sigh, 
and tried to forget her brief dream of love 
and marital happiness. 

Her visits to Susie’s home were not much 
more satisfactory than her trips to the Land- 
ing. Susie seemed happy enough in ‘‘her 
way,” but according to Jane’s ideas, there was 
much room for improvement in her “ way,” 
and therefore in her life. She began very 
nicely, taking pride in fixing up her new home, 
and doing everything possible to please her 


TWO CONCLUSIONS, 


277 


husband ; and Budd put aside his careless, easy- 
going habits, and set to work to make a good 
home and a good living for his young wife. 

Susie had two ambitions. The one was, to 
prove to Jane and her mother that she had been 
wiser than they in regard to her marriage with 
Budd Barker. The other was, to torment Mollie 
Dalton’s jealous heart by the sight of the hap- 
piness which she had wrested from her. So 
she flew about and worked as she had never 
deigned to do at home. She took pride in her 
garden and in her chickens. She even followed 
Jane’s “ cranky ” method of caring for her 
butter, and took pride in hearing people com- 
mend her for her ability and industry. 

As for Budd, he plowed and sowed, and 
hoed and worked in every way as he had never 
done before. His wild habits were put aside, 
and he found all his happiness in his home and 
his wife. But with the habits of a lifetime, 
and the dispositions these two had cherished 
for years all against them, this state of things 
was not destined to last very long. The 
novelty of married life began to wear off, 
after a time. Mrs. Carter and Jane ceased to 
speak regretfully of the marriage, and Jane 
was confined so closely at home that she sel- 
dom could visit Susie’s house to behold the 
evidences of her good fortune. 


2T8 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


Moll Dalton did not long wear the willow ” 
for Budd Barker, but found consolation in the 
company of a young man from the Landing 
who possessed the glory of a shining new 
buggy. It was astonishing how frequently 
their rides took them past Budd Barker’s 
house ; and every such occasion planted a seed 
of discontent in Susie’s heart. 

Other young couples married, and the at- 
tention of the neighborhood gossips was turned 
to them, and Budd and Susie were forgotten. 
It made no difference now as to whether Susie 
had the most flourishing garden in the com- 
munity, and that she received five cents a 
pound more for her butter than her neighbors 
got. Her ability and industry were of less in- 
terest than the. inefficiency and idleness of 
some of the newer brides ; and she was rele- 
gated to a place among the unnoticed women 
of the community. More than this, Budd 
ceased to notice and admire the effects of her 
labors. He took it as a matter of course that 
everything should be done exactly right. He 
even got so that he found fault if she failed to 
keep things up to the mark which she had first 
set for them. Once when the butter was soft 
and the salt not thoroughly w^orked through 
it, he rather acidly remarked that he guessed 
she was losin’ her grip on butter,” which re- 


TWO CONCLUSIONS, 


279 


mark did not tend either to please or encourage 
her. Under such conditions as these, it is no 
wonder that the reform in her habits was but 
short lived. Susie loved her husband, but she 
loved herself vastly more. It was one thing 
to put aside her selfish and idle inclinations 
and work hard to please Budd when he re- 
warded her with words of praise; and an- 
other thing, to give up her own ease to do the 
same things when he only found fault with her 
at last. 

So she gradually relaxed her energies, and 
slipped into the careless, untidy way of doing 
things which had so worried her mother and 
Jane. 

Nor was Budd one whit behind her in fall- 
ing back into old habits. He soon wearied of 
his unwonted energy, and found it much easier 
to relapse into the shiftless ways of his un- 
married life. Since Susie did not appear to ap- 
preciate the efforts he made in her behalf, he 
concluded that it was not worth while to put 
himself out” so much to please her. 

And so, from the fair beginning this young 
couple had made, they gradually relapsed into 
a shiftless, do-less,” hand-to-mouth existence. 
Their selfish dispositions caused many unpleas- 
ant quarrels, and it was not long till Jane’s 
anxious eyes discovered that her sister’s happi- 


280 


FOVR ROADS TO nAPPINESS. 


ness was far from perfect, and that the hasty 
marriage bade fair to terminate as unhappily 
as the majority of such matches. For this 
cause, Jane’s visits to Susie’s home were not 
productive of much pleasure to her. It grieved 
her to see that the young girl had thrown 
away her chances for enduring happiness, by 
snatching rashly for the selfish whim of the 
moment. Poor Susie had spited herself much 
more than she had managed to spite Mollie 
Dalton. 

Jane’s visits were spoiled by Susie’s com- 
plaints against Budd for his negligence and 
shiftlessness, and of her own bad luck ” in 
having to work when she did not feel like it. 
It was also a grievance with Susie that she and 
Budd were no longer classed among the young 
people of the community, and that when anj’^ 
of the girls gave a party of any kind, no ‘‘ bid ” 
was sent to them. She was not yet twenty 
years old, but she found herself shut out from 
the gay company of her mates, and looked 
upon as one of “ the old married women,” and 
her spirit rebelled against it. She longed for 
the excitement of running here and there, and 
joining in the sports in which she had always 
taken a leading part, and chafed against the 
dull round of her new life. 

Budd had always been the life of every 


TIVO CONCLUSIONS. 


281 


crowd, and gayest of the gay ; and Susie had 
thought that the home where he was an inmate 
would be a merry place in Avhich to live. But 
now, when his work was done, he would light 
his pipe, seat himself in their one rocking-chair 
and smoke silently until his pipe was emptied, 
then doze off into audible slumber ; while she 
had nothing to do but sit down in a hard 
wooden chair opposite him, muse gloomily on 
the dreariness of her life, and wish herself 
back in the freedom of girlhood where she 
properly belonged. 

JBy seizing selfishly for haj);piness^ she had 
lost it altogether. 


CHAPTER XXYIIL 

HOME AGAIN. 

The last two years of her college course 
slipped too swiftly by for Katie Carter. She 
had grown to love her college home with all 
her heart, and dreaded to leave it, and return 
to the uncongenial surroundings of her back- 
woods home. 

Her heart sank as she thought of it. How 
could she live without the great library, the 
music, the art and the cultured companions by 
whom she was now surrounded ? What was 
there desirable for her in that little corner 
amid the forests of the Hoosier hills ? There 
was not one congenial companion. Jane was 
the only one of all the young people, beside 
herself, who had possessed any ambition for 
educational advancement, and even Jane was 
far down in the ranks of culture. Why should 
she go back to hoe in the garden, to milk 
cows and make butter, to teach a country 
school, in short, to bury herself in such a 
place? Why could she not remain somewhere 
near her college home, or take a place in some 
282 


HOME AGAIN. 


283 


institution to which her friends there would 
recommend her ? 

The questions were forcible. The tempta- 
tion was strong. Could she not help her 
home folks more by staying away than she 
could by going back ? She would almost per- 
suade herself that such was her wisest plan. 

Then conscience would whisper ; “ You are 
thinking only of yourself. What do you owe 
to Jane ? What do you not owe to her ? She 
has given up her own opportunities, has 
worked and saved and taken your place at 
home, that you might enjoy the great privi- 
leges that have been yours. But for her self- 
denial you would have had to give up your 
course long ago. She is there alone, striving 
to care for your helpless mother, and at the 
same time make a living for them both. She 
can go nowhere, see nothing, learn nothing, 
and yet she is as ambitious as you are. Is it 
not just that you should go and take her place 
and give her the freedom that she deserves ? 
Should you not at least go to cheer her with 
your help and your companionship ? Even if 
she cannot leave home, you can help her 
simply by being with her and thus lighten- 
ing her burden of care and loneliness. And 
this you should do, not because it is your 
duty, but from love to this sister whose love 


284 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


has made possible all the good that has come 
to you. W ill you not find more real happiness 
in striving to carry happiness to your loved 
ones than you could ever hope to obtain by 
placing your own desires first ? ” 

Such questions as these turned the scale in 
the heart of this young girl who was striving 
to follow the path of the “ wisdom that cometh 
down from above.” 

So when the long-desired Commencement 
Day was over, and the faithfully earned di- 
ploma was received, the creamy silk dress was 
folded away, the beloved friends bidden fare- 
well, and Katie Carter resolutely turned her 
face homeward. Kow that the struggle was 
fairly over she felt an eager desire to reach 
home and take up the old life again. Her 
heart was happy in the thought that she had 
decided rightljq and she began to look for- 
ward to the many things that she could do to 
increase the happiness of those to whom she 
was going. 

Jane looked forward as eagerly to her sister’s 
coming. Everything about the house was espe- 
cially cleaned and beautified in her honor. It 
must be admitted that Jane’s heart often sank 
under the fear that Katie would not be happy 
in the old, poverty-stricken home. She has 
been living in places that are palaces compared 







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Meeting of the sibters at the Landing. 


p. 285 








HOME AGAIN. 285 

to this. She has been surrounded by beautiful 
things, and refined and educated people. Will 
not this old log house, so poorly and roughly 
furnished, be unendurable to her? Will she 
not despise us for our ignorance and our back- 
woods ways ? I long to see her, oh how I 
long to see her, but I am afraid, afraid we will 
not be happy together as we used to be. Oh, 
my little Katie, why did I send you away to 
grow away from me ? ” 

Such thoughts filled the elder sister’s heart 
as she fiew about her home, making ready for 
the coming of the long absent one. 

Susie was readily persuaded to stay with 
Mrs. Carter while Jane drove to the Landing 
to meet the boat and bring Katie home. 

A tall, fine-looking man, who chanced to be 
a fellow-passenger on the boat, took much 
interest in the meeting of the two sisters at 
the Landing. Katie had grown to be a well- 
developed young woman, twenty-one years of 
age. Her neat grey travelling dress, with its 
perfect fit, set off the slender grace of her 
figure. Her face was fair, and her dark 
auburn hair was arranged in the latest and 
most becoming style. There was an unmis- 
takable air of culture about her, although 
her dress was simple and her manner unas- 
suming. 


286 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


On the other hand was Jane, with the same 
hair, the same features, possibly, the same 
figure, but the poorly -fitting dark calico dress, 
heavy shoes and blue gingham sunbonnet 
formed a striking contrast to her sister's garb 
and effectually prevented all attractiveness in 
appearance. Her hair was drawn tightly back 
from her sunburned face, her ungloved hands 
were brown from exposure and her voice and 
manners were indicative of her backwoods 
life. The contrast was painful, but the sisters 
were so eager to meet that they failed to con- 
sider it. The storekeeper kindly loaded Katie’s 
trunk into the rickety spring-wagon, and then 
the girls turned toward home. 

There were eager questionings between the 
sisters as they rode along, although Katie per- 
ceived the feeling of constraint that was upon 
Jane and was pained to think that it was so. 

She realized forcibly how far she had 
advanced, in one direction, beyond this sister 
of hers. Then came the thought, ‘‘ I am far 
beyond her, but she is far above me. The 
balances are not so uneven after all.” 

There was so much to talk about that in spite 
of old Jim’s plodding gait the story was not 
half told before they reached home. 

Mrs. Carter’s condition of helplessness 
affected Katie deeply, but she concealed her 


H03IE AGAIN, 


287 


sorrow as best she could by her loving greet- 
ings, and turned her attention to Susie. 

“ Do stand up and let me look at you,” she 
cried, merrily. “ I can hardly believe my eyes. 
When I went away you were a wild little girl 
in short dresses with your hair hanging in a 
braid down your back. Now you are a digni- 
fied married woman, with a husband and a 
child of your own. I declare, it makes me feel 
ancient.” Susie laughed. 

‘‘You don’t look like yourself either, with 
your hair done up that way, and them little 
curls on your forehead. Mebbe I’ll git used 
to you after while. Your nose hain’t as 
freckled as it used to be, neither.” 

“No. I have stayed indoors so much dur- 
ing the last four years that the sun did not 
have much chance to touch me. Just wait till 
I’ve hoed in the garden for a week or two ; 
then see whether I don’t look natural.” 

With such chat as this the first hours of 
Katie’s home-coming were passed ; then Susie 
declared that she must go home. 

“ I’ll go part way with you and carry little 
Tilly. You’ll be very tired before you get 
home if you have to carry her all the way 
yourself,” Katie volunteered. Susie murmured 
that “ Tilly was heavy, but she was used to 
carrying her and didn’t mind,” but Katie 


288 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


picked up the heavy year-old baby and they 
set out together. They strolled slowly along 
for half a mile, then Katie gave up her charge 
to its mother and the two sisters parted. 

She’s fine as a fiddle Avith her pretty 
clothes and shiny shoes an’ white face an’ 
hands, an’ them little curls on her forehead ; 
but she don’t appear to feel stuck up. It’s a 
wonder she ever come home at all, an’ I’ll 
venture to say she’ll git sick enough of stayin’ 
there. Well, she’d ought to take her sheer of 
it. She’s alius had ever’thing, Avhile Jane an’ 
me never had nothin’, nor no chance either. 
Seems like some people’s born lucky, like her, 
an’ some’s born unlucky, like me. ’Tain’t fair. 
There she is with her fine clothes an’ fine airs, 
free to fly round jest as she chooses, an’ here I 
am, tied down Avith this cross baby, an’ a 
shiftless man like Budd Barker, Avith nothin’ 
nice, an’ no chance to go anywhere or do any- 
thing. ’Tain’t fair.” Thus Susie Avent grum- 
bling on her Avay. 

Katie had turned homeward with a heavy 
heart. 

“Poor, foolish, mistaken child,” she mur- 
mured. “Kot yet tAventy, and a Avife and 
mother. She ought to be enjoying the free- 
dom and happiness of girlhood. Instead of 
that, she is already a haggard and worried 


HOME AGAIN, 


289 


woman, old before her time. I fear she is 
not happy. She does not look so. I hope I 
will be able some way to help and cheer her. 
What a pity it is that she did not take time to 
consider, and to look carefully at the prospects 
ahead, before marrying such a man and bind- 
ing herself to such a life.” 

Katie had come home fully determined to 
take up the old home life faithfully, and make 
things as happy and cheery for her mother and 
Jane as she possibly could. If she had any 
lingering regrets for the congenial life she had 
left behind her she promptly stifled them, and 
no one was any the wiser for it. She did her 
full share of the work, giving J ane many hours 
of leisure ; and she was so merry all the time 
that both her mother and Jane brightened 
visibly. One of Mrs. Porter’s gifts to her had 
been a fine guitar on which that lady had been 
a skillful performer up to the time of her ill- 
ness. She had given Katie many instructions 
on it, and the girl had gone on until she had 
become quite a good player. Her music was 
now a source of intense enjoyment to her 
home folks and helped to brighten their soli- 
tary lives. 

As the weeks passed, and Katie showed no 
symptoms of dissatisfaction, Jane’s heart light- 
ened. It would have been an intensely bitter 


290 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


thing for her, if her sister had turned from 
her. Even as it was there was a pain that she 
had continually to fight. As she looked at 
Katie, noted her manners, watched her grace- 
ful movements, listened to her intelligent con- 
versation and her sweet music, she thought : 

“ This is what I might have been. This is 
the way I might have looked and talked. I 
might have been in her place and she might 
have been in mine. No, that is not quite true. 
She could not have done what has been given 
me to do here. I am not sorry. I do not be- 
grudge her what she has and what she is. 
But oh, I wish I might have been like her.” It 
was very hard for Jane to put away such 
thoughts as these. 

Katie sat on the porch one evening watching 
J ane work among her flowers. 

What has become of all the stumps, 
Janie ? It seems to me there used to be 
more of them.” 

There were,” Jane answered. But they 
have gradually rotted away. I suppose my 
constant digging in and around them, and the 
continual dampness needed by the flowers, 
hastened their decay. I have had to make 
beds to take their places and it looks as if they 
would soon all be gone.” Jane came up and sat 
down on the steps near her sister as she spoke. 


H03IE AGAIN, 


291 


There was a moment’s pause and then Katie 
said, softly : 

“And the other stumps, Janie, the bad 
temper, the selfishness, the disappointment 
and all the other names by which you called 
them — they have gone too, and only the sweet 
flowers of love and kindness and trust remain. 
Janie, the analogy is perfect. Cultivating the 
flowers of Christian living and loving has re- 
moved these things which you felt marred your 
life. Is there not a promise in that, that some 
day the rest will go, too ? ” 

“It is true, it is true ! ” cried Jane through 
her tears. “ O Katie, I am so glad you made 
me see it ! If I could have had my way, I 
would have pulled up all these ugly stumps 
and there would have been great unsightly 
holes in their places. But God’s way was to 
let the richness of the decaying wood nourish 
the flowers, while the flowers gradually took 
away the ugly wood, and at the last is only 
the smooth, rich bed. I see now God^s way 
was lestd 


CHAPTEE XXIX. 

AT MAPLEWOOD. 

The summer seemed uncommonly short to 
the three dwellers at the Carter house. Early 
in the season Katie began to consider the ques- 
tion of getting a school for the ensuing winter. 

‘‘’F I was you I’d try an’ get the school 
down to the Landing,” suggested Aunt Phrony 
West. “It’s a nicer place than some of these 
country deestricts, an’ you wouldn’t have to 
walk so fur to school. You’d hev to board 
down there, but then the difference in wages 
would make up for that. They give sixty dol- 
lars a month last winter, an’ board’s only two 
dollars a week; so you see you’d be a con- 
sid’able ahead on that. ’F I was you, I’d go 
right down an’ see to it.” 

There was quite a family consultation over 
it ; then Katie donned her pretty travelling 
suit, and once more travelled over the road to 
the Landing. 

She inquired of the storekeeper in regard to 
the directors of the school, and found that he 
was one of them. 

292 


AT MAPLEWOOD. 


293 


“I’d be mighty well pleased to hev you 
teach it, Miss Carter,” he said. “ So you kin 
count on my vote. Jenkins — he’s the clerk — 
he’s gone up the river, so you can’t see 
him ; but I’ll speak to him as soon as he 
comes home, an’ I think I can insure you his 
vote. You’ll hev to go and see Mr. Warren 
yourself. He’s the head director, an’ it’ll de- 
pend a good deal on him. He lives out at 
Maplewood. I guess you know the way ? ” 

“ Yes,” Katie answered ; and thanking him 
for his kindness, she turned old Jim’s head in 
the direction of the Warren home. She felt a 
little timid about approaching this director. 
She had heard the Warrens spoken of all her 
life as the aristocratic people of that region. 
Mr. Warren, Sr., had owned several hundred 
acres of rich farming land along the river 
which had received the best of improvements. 
In late years an oil well had been struck, which 
added greatly to the wealth of its fortunate 
owners. On the death of old Mr. Warren the 
estate had been left to his wife and his only 
son, who still lived in the handsome home at 
Maplewood. It was to this Mr. Warren that 
Katie had been directed, and she dreaded to 
meet him. She had heard that he was a proud, 
reserved and dignified man who mingled little 
with the people of the district, and who found 


294 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


his pleasure in the society of his mother or 
among friends in the distant city. 

She drove slowly up the Maple avenue, and 
fastened old Jim to the carved stone hitching 
post before the door. A servant ushered her 
into a delightful sitting-room, where she was 
cordially received by Mrs. Warren v/ho made 
her feel quite at her ease while she waited for 
the much dreaded master of the house. He 
proved to be grave, dignified and courteous, as 
she had been led to expect, but at the same 
time he was pleasant and cordial in his man- 
ner, which set Katie completely at her ease, 
and made the dreaded interview unexpectedly 
delightful. After a short time she took her 
departure, happy in the promise of the desired 
place. Mr. Warren assisted her into the rick- 
ety old wagon, and bowed her away as courte- 
ously as if she had been the finest lady of his 
acquaintance. 

“ He is a real gentleman,” she said to her- 
self. “I am sure he will make my school 
work as easy as possible.” 

“That is a nice little girl, Frank. Where 
do you suppose she came from ? ” Mrs. Warren 
asked her son when he had returned to the 
house. 

“ She lives five miles out in the countrj^, I 
believe. She came down on the boat one time 


AT MAPLEWOOD. 


295 


this summer when I came down from L . 

She did not look as if she belonged about here, 
and I asked Bennett who she was. She was 
then on her way home from college. She 
seems pretty clear-headed, and she has a good 
education ; so I hope she will teach a good 
school. I am heartily weary of the style of 
teachers we have had of late. I will be re- 
lieved when my time as director expires, for it 
is a very annoying place. Did you notice 
where I placed that package of papers this 
morning? I’ll have to work extra fast to 
make up for this interruption.” So the teacher 
and the school were forgotten in the more ab- 
sorbing round of personal business interests. 

September found Katie installed in her 
school, and the work of the winter fairly un- 
der way. She boarded in the home of Mr. 
Jenkins, not so much because she preferred it 
as because she had been informed that it 
was expected she should stay there. ‘‘ The 
teachers alius boards at Jenkins’,” was the 
precedent that had confronted her. As 
‘^Jenkins” was a member of the school board, 
it would have been bad policy for any teacher 
to venture to board elsewhere. 

Mrs. Jenkins was far from being a model 
housekeeper or a model cook. The six little 
Jenkinses were neither the most obedient nor 


296 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


the most peaceable children in the world, and 
many and loud and long were the contests be- 
tween themselves and with their mother. Al- 
together, Katie found herself in a most unen- 
viable place, and often wished that she had 
been content to seek a school which paid less 
wages but which was not hampered by a 
boarding precedent. 

One night she awoke, stifled and choking, 
to find her room full of smoke, and the air 
heavy with the smell of fire. She sprang from 
her bed, seized her few belongings and rushed 
downstairs, waking the family as she went. 
In a moment there was a turmoil of confusion 
amid the frightened family, and even after 
they were all safely out of the burning build- 
ing the screaming and praying were continued. 
In spite of the efforts of neighbors who hurried 
to their assistance the old house with most 
of its contents was consumed. Even while 
she was sympathizing with the terrified and 
stricken family Katie breathed a sigh of relief 
to think that the law of precedent ” had gone 
up in smoke and fallen in ashes. 

Mr. Warren, with several of his men, had 
come from Maplewood to assist the Jenkinses, 
and help save their property. After the build- 
ing had fairly been destroyed, the gentleman 
went to Mrs. Jenkins and said, ‘^My mother 


AT MAPLEWOOD, 


297 


told me to invite you and your family to come 
over to our house until you can make some ar- 
rangement for the future. We have plenty of 
room there, and she will give you a cordial 
welcome. My wagon is here, and if you will 
go we will get these children into it at once. 
They are only about half clothed, and the 
night is so cold that it is dangerous for them 
to remain here any longer. Miss Carter, my 
mother especially remembered you also in her 
invitation.-’ 

It is neecjless to say that the Jenkinses 
gladly accepted this invitation, and the Avhole 
lot was bundled into the wagon and carried 
over to the hospitable mansion. 

“Surely Mrs. Warren does not know what 
she is doing for herself in inviting this rabble 
of children to come and make themselves at 
home in her handsome rooms. I wouldn’t 
want to do it, and I’m sure I am sorry for 
her,” thought Katie as they rode up the ave- 
nue. 

Her expectations were verified ; for the med- 
dlesome, troublesome children made much an- 
noyance for their kind entertainers during the 
two days that they remained at Maplewood. 

The second day after the fire Katie an- 
nounced to Mrs. Warren that she had suc- 
ceeded in obtaining board at another house 


298 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


in tlie district, and therefore would not return 
to Maplewood that evening. 

‘‘Now, my dear, I have wanted to speak 
with you about this very thing,” the old lady 
said, “ but you see my hands and my thoughts 
have been so full of other matters that this 
has had to be neglected. If you think you 
could be contented Avith us, I Avould be very 
glad to have you stay here the rest of the 
winter. We are much nearer the school than 
Mr. Jenkins’ house was, and your Avalks would 
not be so long.” 

“You are very kind, Mrs. Warren,” Katie 
replied, gratefully. - “ I have certainly appre- 
ciated your generosity in taking me in during 
this time of need ; but it would not be right 
for me to impose upon you any longer, when 
your house is already too full for your com- 
fort,” this last Avith a smile AAdiich the elder 
lady understood. “ It Avould not be right for 
me to still add to your burden, Avheri there is 
no longer any need of my doing so.” 

“But you do not add to my burden, my 
dear,” Mrs. Warren replied, quickly. “I do 
not knoAV hoAV I could hav^e done Avithout 
your help during the hours that you have 
been out of school. They haA^e been the only 
time Avhen I could draw a free breath and be 
sure my young visitors Avere out of mischief. 


AT MAPLEWOOD. 


299 


They are all going away to-day, as Mr. Jenkins 
has secured a place where they can live for a 
time. As for yourself, I would truly like to 
have you stay with me. My son is away so 
much, or is so engrossed in business, that I am 
left alone a great part of the time, and your 
company during the hours you are out of 
school would be a real comfort to me. So, 
will you not take pity on a lonely old woman 
and be persuaded to make Maplewood your 
home till school is out ? ” 

No prospect could have been more delight- 
ful to the young teacher, and with due grati- 
tude she accepted Mrs. Warren’s invitation. 

Life was very different now from what it had 
been at the Jenkinses. She was surrounded by 
comfort and luxury, she had the privilege of 
cultured society and she revelled in the con- 
tents of the large library. A warm friend- 
ship sprang up between Mrs. Warren and the 
young girl, and they spent many delightful 
hours together. 

On Friday evenings Jane usually came to 
take her sister out to her own home to spend 
Saturday and Sunday, and occasionally she 
was able to spend several hours at Maple- 
wood. Such times were great occasions with 
her, for here she gained her first experience 
of the pleasures which wealth and education 


300 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


made possible. Under such influences, and by 
Katie’s gentle aid, the elder sister was rapidly 
being transformed in manners and appearance. 
Katie’s skillful fingers arranged her hair and 
her dress, and Katie's cultivated taste gov- 
erned her simple purchases, so that the dif- 
ference between the two was no longer so 
painfully striking as it had been the day Mr. 
Warren first saw them at the Landing. 

Katie’s liberal wages, supplemented by Will’s 
frequent and generous contributions, had lifted 
the burden of care from Jane’s shoulders. She 
was no longer obliged to slave indoors and 
out to obtain a living for her mother and her- 
self. Her time was free to care for the home 
and the invalid mother, to make life cheery 
and sweet for the sufferer ; and through Mrs. 
Warren’s kindness the treasures of the Maple- 
wood library were opened to her eager mind. 
Sometimes Aunt Phrony West would come 
and care for Mrs. Carter for a day and give 
Jane a chance to spend all of its delightful 
hours in a visit at Maplewood. Such occa- 
sions, however, were rare ; for the invalid had 
come to lean so much upon her daughter’s 
company that Jane found her loath to give it 
up even for a day. 

Susie came over occasionally ; but a second 
baby had come to claim her time and care, 


AT MAPLEWOOD. 


301 


and she found little chance even to. visit home. 
Budd seldom was willing to take the trouble 
to help her carry the two babies the mile that 
lay between the two houses, and unless she 
could obtain the assistance of some one else 
she was forced to stay at home. This state of 
affairs did not tend to improve her disposition 
nor her consequent happiness, and the greater 
part of her time was spent in pondering over 
her unhappy condition and bewailing the bad 
luck” that denied her everything which she 
desired. 

Budd was not really a bad fellow, but he 
was shiftless and lazy and quite as selfish as 
his wife. He found working for his family a 
great burden, and often wondered why he had 
been so rash in taking such care upon him 
while scarcely more than a boy himself. 

So the two poor mortals worried along in 
their little backwoods cabin, and in their re- 
pining over the good which was out of their 
reach they failed to find happiness in the pos- 
sibilities of the life they had chosen for them- 
selves. If they had but resolved to make the 
most of what they had, work for what was 
within their reach, and make life cheery and 
sweet for one another and for their little ones, 
the happiness for which they sighed would have 
come to them. 


302 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


Instead of that they mourned over magni- 
fied ills, fretted themselves with envious de- 
sires, wasted their time in idleness, blamed 
one another for their condition, made no effort 
at improvement and were altogether as miser- 
able and poverty-stricken as they deserved to 
be. 


CHAPTER XXX. 


THE END OF THE KOADS. 

Katie found it hard to settle down into the 
old home life when school was over. She was 
restless, and lonely, and ill-at-ease, although 
she faithfully concealed it from her mother and 
Jane. She felt as if the woods were walls that 
had closed down around her, and shut out all 
good and desirable things. Life seemed empty, 
and the future was a blank. 

I do not understand it,” she said to herself 
one day. ‘‘ Why am I no longer happy and 
contented ? Have the comforts and pleasures 
of Maplewood so turned my head that I can 
no longer endure my own home nor enjoy the 
company of those I love ? It was not so when 
I came from college, therefore I do not under- 
stand it now.” 

But she understood it perfectly a few days 
later when Mr. Frank Warren came and told 
her that life had suddenly become lonely and 
unsatisfactory even at Maplewood, and that 
he could bear it no longer unless she would 
promise to come and make it her home for the 
' 303 


304 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


rest of her days. Life all at once took on new 
brightness and the future looked smiling and 
sweet. Love had glorified that which had ap- 
peared so dreary, and Katie’s heart had dis- 
covered its earthly happiness. ^ 

You need not hesitate on account of your 
mother and sister,” Mr. Warren had said. 

They shall be to me as my very own. I have 
abundant means and those whom you love 
shall never lack. If they will we will take 
them with us to Maplewood, but if they pre- 
fer to remain here we will see that they are 
well cared for.” 

So it was settled, and ere the summer was 
over Katie had become Mrs. Frank Warren 
and had gone to live in her own delightful 
home. She and Frank and Mrs. Warren tried 
in vain to persuade Mrs. Carter and Jane to 
leave the old farm and go where they could 
spend their days amid luxurious surroundings. 

“ No,” Mrs. Carter said, I hain’t used to fine 
things an’ fine ways. I’d be frettin’ for my 
basement room before a Aveek was out ; and I 
couldn’t no Avays git along ef I couldn’t set 
here by the Avdnder an’ watch the birds flyin’ 
about and the squirrels a-hoppin’ in the trees 
over yander. I’m too old to take Avell to neAV 
Avays ; so thankin’ you fer your Avell-meanin’, 
me an’ Janie Avill jest stay here.” 


THE END OF THE ROADS. 


305 


Katie used her utmost powers of persuasion 
to get her mother to change this decision. 
She urged Jane’s long years of self-denial and 
begged her to come to Maplewood and let Jane 
have the freedom to order her life according 
to her own inclinations, but with the unreason- 
ableness of long illness Mrs. Carter refused. 

‘‘ ’Tain’t likely I’ll live many years longer 
an’ then Janie can please herself. She hain’t 
so old yet as she might be, an’ she’ll have 
plenty of time to gad about after I’m dead an’ 
gone. Will gives us plenty to live on, an’ 
we’ll do well enough. I’ve lived here nigh 
thirty years, an’ I couldn’t feel at home any- 
wheres else. So, thankin’ you fer your well- 
meanin’ I’d ruther stay here.” 

Jane expressed much the same feeling, and 
assured Katie that the best kindness they 
could show their mother would be to allow her 
to remain in the home which she had loved so 
long. After this, life went on in the old, 
lonely round. Katie drove over frequently to 
see them. Susie came occasionally. Will’s 
letters came once in a while, telling of his 
prosperity and of his home. But best news of 
all to Jane was his saying that in his eager 
search for wealth he had found the ‘Hrue 
riches,” and that by ‘‘ seeking first the kingdom 
of God and his righteousness,” he had obtained 


306 


FOUR ROADS TO HRPPINESS. 


the happiness which is only to be found in the 
way of rightfulness. 

Before the year was at an end Mrs. Carter’s 
sufferings and helplessness were over and the 
old Carter home was again made desolate by 
death. This time, however, there was a com- 
fort in the grief of those who were left behind, 
for they had reason to believe that through 
Jane’s quiet influence the mother had obtained 
assurance of entrance into the “ better man- 
sions.” 

After it was all over a family consultation 
was held which resulted in a change of homes 
for Budd and Susie. It was not many days 
till they were installed in the Carter home and 
found themselves in possession of the com- 
forts and conveniences which Jane’s labor and 
economy had gradually effected about the 
place. They were so stimulated by this un- 
expected prosperity that, for a time at least, 
they seemed determined to lead a more in- 
dustrious life. Jane sighed as she thought of 
the probable end of their good resolves, and 
stifled the feeling of aversion which she felt at 
seeing inefficient Budd Barker placed in con- 
trol of the fruits of her labors. 

“ It is only right,” she told herself. Poor 
Susie has long ago paid for the rashness of her 
injudicious marriage. It is only right that the 


THE END OF THE ROADS. 


307 


rest of US should do what we can to ease the 
burdens that rest so heavily upon her young 
shoulders and brighten her life as best we 
may.’’ 

Katie only waited a couple of weeks till 
Susie was fairly established in her new home 
and then she came and carried Jane off. 

You have toiled and sacrificed yourself 
and spent your best years for the sake of one 
family, now you shall not take a second one 
upon your shoulders. It is enough for them 
to reap the fruits of your past labors without 
spoiling your future. You shall come and 
stay with me and be a fine lady for the rest 
of your life. You shall read, and study, and 
take your ease and enjoy yourself in every 
possible way. You have been the means, in 
God’s hands, of giving me my happiness, now 
let me help you find yours.” So Jane went 
to Maplewood. 

For several months life slipped quietly by. 
The rest, the luxury, the pleasant society, the 
opportunities for self-improvement were very 
delightful to the young woman whose life so 
far had been a constant round of hard work 
and self-denial. For Jane Carter was only 
twenty-six years of age, and although girlhood 
was passed she was still in the vigor of young 
womanhood, and many years probably lay be- 


308 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


fore her, fraught with the possibilities which 
the years bring to all mortals. Her life had 
been so very busy and independent, hitherto, 
that it was not possible for her to sit down in 
idleness for any great length of time. When 
the weariness caused by her former burdens 
had passed away she began to look about her 
for some new purpose in life. 

‘‘ The Lord has removed all the stumps from 
the garden of my life and left it fair and 
smooth before me, but he does not expect me 
to sit down in idleness and allow it to grow 
up in weeds and uselessness. I must seek to 
make it fair and sweet, that those about me 
I may see that it bears the blossoms and fruits 
of a Christian life,” was her thought. 

So she began to look about for some new 
field for her energies. 

At first Katie opposed her but Jane an- 
swered : “ In one of the books in your library 

I read this truth : ‘ It is not the monotony of 
life that destroys it ; it is the pointlessness. 
Men can bear its weight, but its meaningless- 
ness crushes them.’ Happiness comes not 
from selfish indulgence. It is to be found only 
in right living and loving — in ‘seeking not 
our own ’ but the welfare of others and the 
glory of God.” 

One day a letter came to her bearing the 


THE END OF THE ROADS, 


309 


familiar western postmark, but it was not her 
brother’s handwriting that met her eyes when 
she opened it. She read : 

My Dear Jane : 

May I not call you on paper what I 
have called you in my heart all these years ? 

Has my long silence caused you to believe 
that I had forgotten you and ceased to care 
for you? You are dear to me to-day as you 
were six years ago when I begged you to go 
and make my home happy for me. You were 
wiser and better than I, Janie, for you saw 
that there could be but little good for one who 
threw aside known duty for selfish desires. 

Do you think I have not known and gloried 
in the faithfulness of your life ? Do you think 
I have forgotten to pray for God’s help and 
blessing to rest upon you ? Indeed, though I 
have been far away, my heart has been with 
you all the time and 1 have only waited for 
the glad day to come when I might ask you 
again to come and make my life happy. 

I have worked faithfully that I might have 
a home worthy of you, and I have been blessed 
in my labors. I am not wealthy, but I have a 
good comfortable home, far better than the 
poor little cabin in the woods where I would 
years ago have taken you. In many ways the 
delay has been better for us both. We have 
learned much and gained much. 

It is useless for me to write more. If your 
heart is still faithful to me it reads the faith- 
fulness of mine, and words are unnecessary. 


310 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS, 


Will you not give me permission to come for 
you and bring you to the home that is waiting 
for you ? 

Yours faithfully, 

Cyrus Smith. 

As her trembling hands folded the letter 
back into its envelope, Jane realized that here 
at last was a place which she desired to fill. 
Though this earthly happiness had been long 
delayed, now that it had come to her it was all 
the sweeter because behind it lay the path of 
duties that had been cheerfully fulfilled. 

***** 

Thus by varied paths, these four members 
of the Carter family had travelled to the points 
from which they could look forward to The 
End of The Eoads.” 

Will, in his search for Avealth, had found 
the ‘‘True Eiches,” and had learned that 
“ The blessing of the Lorf it maketh rich,, and 
he addeth no sorrow with it?'^ In such wealth 
as this, is happiness and peace. 

Katie had sought the path of earthly Avis- 
dom, only to find that “ The fear of the Lord 
is the beginning of wisdom.” 

She had patiently fitted herself to labor for 
those she loved, and behold, instead of labor 
the Lord had opened up the Avay of worldly 


THE END OF THE ROADS. 


311 


prosperity, and human love, and happiness. 
Through them she was enabled to do more 
than she could have accomplished in the way 
which she had expected to take. 

‘‘The wisdom which cometh down from 
above,” which Katie found, is the key that un- 
locks the treasure-house of perfect joy. 

Susie — poor, foolish, selfish Susie — alone 
had missed the road to happiness. She had 
willfully turned from the paths of wisdom, 
kindness, and loving deeds, and sought merely 
to gratify her own selfish desires. JSTow, 
through much tribulation, she was learning 
that “ He that loveth his own life (and happi- 
ness) shall lose it.” 

Let us hope that through her disappoint- 
ments, and vexations and cares, she learned at 
last to turn her feet into “ The path of the 
just,” which is “ a shining light that shineth 
more and more unto the perfect day.” 

Jane had accepted the narrow, common- 
place life that the Lord had given her, had 
patiently surmounted its difficulties, and made 
the most of its limited opportunities. She had 
learned lessons of patience and trust, of kind- 
ness and unselfishness, of love and peace ; and 
the stumbling-blocks of her narrow sphere had 
become stepping-stones to raise her to a purer 
and higher atmosphere. 


312 


FOUR ROADS TO HAPPINESS. 


Her life, which appeared to be cut back at 
every shoot, dwarfed in every ambition, poor 
and unsightly to the world, had become so 
beautified by the encircling love of Christ and 
good will to men, that its unsightliness was 
hidden by the clustering wreaths of faithful 
love and service, and crowned with the blos- 
soms of love and peace. Its fruit will never 
all be known until the great harvest of Eternity. 



I 




JUL 16 1900 




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